My transgene is in a pcDNA3 vector with a CMV promoter while my Renilla internal control vector has an HSV-TK promoter. I'm just wondering if I should use a Renilla vector with the same promoter as the expression vector to take into account the other factors that could possibly induce the expression of my transgene (e.g. signaling that could activate the CMV promoter)?
No, it is generally better have your reference reporter with a different promoter. It decreases the probability of any transcriptional cross-talk.
Also, it is better to have a low strength promoter as a reference: this way it will be the least interfering with anything in cells. And in fact, with bright luciferases like Rluc8SG or Nan-Ogluc you will have plenty of signal even with a promoter-less (!) vector (in principle, many conditions you can even see some signal by eye from alive cells with added substrate).
You may need to have a stronger promoter in a reference vector, if you are using fluorescent proteins as a reference because they need relatively high protein levels to be detected in contrast to luciferases.
The CMV promoter can actually be activated to some extent by a number of factors, e.g. by fresh serum.
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