Comparative effects of gold on the interactions of transcription factors with DNA.

We have previously hypothesized that a mode of action of the anti-rheumatic gold salt, aurothiomalate (AuTM), is the inhibition of DNA binding by transcription factors. Studies of the progesterone receptor (PR), which has a zinc finger structure in the DNA binding domain, were consistent with this hypothesis (1). Here we show that AuTM also markedly inhibits DNA binding by the transcription factor AP-1 and has less potent effects for AP-2, NF-1 and TFIID.