pDRIVE-CXCR4

CXCR4 promoter in pDRIVE expression plasmid

CXCR4 is the receptor for the chemokine SDF1 and a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry. The expression of CXCR4 is upregulated in many types of cancers but low in the liver and other major organs. The CXCR4 promoter contains a TATAbox, a nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) site, and for GC boxes [1].
A 279 bp fragment of the CXCR4 promoter was shown to have a “tumor-on” status in vitro and in vivo particularly in melanoma and breast cancers [2].

References:

1. Moriuchi M. et al., 1997. Cloning and analysis of the promoter region of CXCR4, a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry. J Immunol. 159(9):4322-9.
2. Zhu ZB. et al., 2004. Transcriptional targeting of adenoviral vector through the CXCR4 tumor-specific promoter. Gene Ther. 11(7):645-8.