The present invention provides DNA constructs that contain oligonucleotide sequences comprising DNA regulatory elements of the general sequence TTNXAA that bind activated transcriptional regulatory proteins in response to signaling molecules, such as cytokines, an operably linked promoter and operably linked heterologous gene. The present invention also provides host cells transfected with such DNA constructs, as well as methods for measuring the ability of compounds to act as agonists and antagonists of gene transcription utilizing these DNA constructs and transfected host cells.