Looking for Tumor Specific Transcription Factors. Study of Promoters in Silico

This study supplements earlier received experimental data using modern databases. Previously tumor-specific activity of several human native and chimeric promoters was demonstrated. Here we compared tumor-specific promoters with promoters of housekeeping genes by the presence of recognition profiles for transcription factors in DNA sequences of the promoters. A number of transcription factor recognition profiles have been identified, the presence of which in promoters may indicate the tumor specificity of the promoters. Transcription factors which may directly regulate promoters of genes involved in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis were revealed by pathway analysis. The results of the study may help in studying the peculiarities of gene transcription in tumors and in the search for or the creation of tumor-specific promoters for cancer gene therapy.