Disclosed is the sequence of the human ABC1 promoter, a method for
expressing foreign DNA in host cells using the human ABC1 promoter,
including a method of determining whether a chemical not previously known
to be a modulator of the human ABC1 gene transcriptionally modulates the
expression of the human ABC1 gene. Also disclosed is a sterol-responsive
region of the human ABC1 promoter, along with a showing that it is
activated by hydroxysterols and 9-cis-retinoic acid, implicating a
mechanism of activation involving LXR/RXR heterodimers.
