Analysis of alternative promoter usage in expression of HSD11B1 including the development of a transcript-specific quantitative real-time PCR method.

Overexpression of the microsomal enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1, human gene HSD11B1 or SDR26C1) associates with the metabolic syndrome as well as some inflammatory diseases. HSD11B1 expression is known to be highly tissue-specific and driven by two distinct promoters, an aspect which to date has been studied very little. Here, we sought to assess differential promoter usage in various glucocorticoid target tissues and cell lines.