The murine Dax-1 promoter is stimulated by SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1) and inhibited by COUP-TF (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor) via a composite nuclear receptor-regulatory element.

The Dax-1 gene encodes a protein that is structurally related to members of the orphan nuclear receptor superfamily. Dax-1 is coexpressed with another orphan nuclear receptor, steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), in the adrenal, gonads, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. Mutations in Dax-1 cause adrenal hypoplasia congenita, a disorder that is characterized by adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. These developmental and endocrine abnormalities are similar to those caused by disruption of the murine Ftz-F1 gene (which encodes SF-1), suggesting that these nuclear receptors act along the same developmental cascade. Cloning of the murine Dax-1 gene revealed a candidate SF-1-binding site in the Dax-1 promoter. In transient expression assays in SF-1-deficient JEG-3 cells, SF-1 stimulated expression of the Dax-1 promoter. However, deletion or mutation of the consensus SF-1-binding site did not eliminate SF-1 stimulation. Further analyses revealed the presence of a cryptic SF-1 site that creates an imperfect direct repeat of the SF-1 element. When linked to the minimal thymidine kinase promoter, each of the isolated SF-1 sites was sufficient to mediate transcriptional regulation by SF-1. Mutation of both SF-1 sites eliminated SF-1 binding and stimulation of the Dax-1 promoter. Unexpectedly, mutation of either half of the composite SF-1 sites increased basal activity in JEG-3 cells, suggesting interaction of a repressor protein. Gel shift analyses of the composite response element revealed an additional complex that was not supershifted by SF-1 antibodies. This complex was eliminated by mutation of either half-site, and it was supershifted by antibodies against chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor (COUP-TF). We propose that Dax-1 is stimulated by SF-1, and that SF-1 and COUP-TF provide antagonistic pathways that converge upon a common regulatory site.