Thyroid hormone receptor coactivators and corepressors

Distinct tissue-specific roles for thyroid hormone receptors beta and alpha1 in regulation of type 1 deiodinase expression

Type 1 deiodinase (D1) metabolizes different forms of thyroid hormones to control levels of T3, the active ligand for thyroid hormone receptors (TR). The D1 gene is itself T3-inducible and here, the regulation of D1 expression by TRalpha1 and TRbeta, which act as T3-dependent transcription factors, was investigated in receptor-deficient mice. Liver and kidney D1 mRNA and activity levels were reduced in TRbeta(-/-) but not TRalpha1(-/-) mice. Liver D1 remained weakly T3 inducible in TRbeta(-/-) mice whereas induction was abolished in double mutant TRalpha1(-/-)TRbeta(-/-) mice. This indicates that TRbeta is primarily responsible for regulating D1 expression whereas TRalpha1 has only a minor role. In kidney, despite the expression of both TRalpha1 and TRbeta, regulation relied solely on TRbeta, thus revealing a marked tissue restriction in TR isotype utilization. Although TRbeta and TRalpha1 mediate similar functions in vitro, these results demonstrate differential roles in regulating D1 expression in vivo and suggest that tissue-specific factors and structural distinctions between TR isotypes contribute to functional specificity. Remarkably, there was an obligatory requirement for a TR, whether TRbeta or TRalpha1, for any detectable D1 expression in liver. This suggests a novel paradigm of gene regulation in which the TR sets both basal expression and the spectrum of induced states. Physiologically, these findings suggest a critical role for TRbeta in regulating the thyroid hormone status through D1-mediated metabolism.

Thyroid hormones and the brain

Significant progress has been made over the past 2 decades toward understanding the molecular basis of thyroid hormone action. It is now widely accepted that thyroid hormones play predominantly a nuclear role and function by regulating the transcription of specific target genes. Understanding thyroid hormone action at the tissue and organismic level requires assessment of the thyroid hormone response apparatus and identification of specific target genes. Progress toward uncovering the molecular basis of thyroid hormone action during mammalian brain development is advancing rapidly. This commentary provides a brief overview of the molecular basis of thyroid hormone action followed by three sections detailing thyroid hormone regulation of brain development at the functional, cellular, and molecular levels. Each section is followed by a discussion of unresolved issues and an analysis of our current level of understanding of each topic.

Regulation of prohormone convertase 1 (PC1) by thyroid hormone

The prohormone convertases (PCs) PC1 and PC2 are key enzymes capable of processing a variety of prohormones to their bioactive forms. In this study, we demonstrated that 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism stimulated, whereas triido-L-thyronine (T(3))-induced hyperthyroidism suppressed, PC1 mRNA levels in the rat anterior pituitary. Using 5' deletions of the human PC1 (hPC1) promoter transiently transfected into GH3 (a somatotroph cell line) cells, we found that T(3) negatively regulated hPC1 promoter activity and that this regulation required the region from -82 to +19 bp relative to the transcription start site. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) using purified thyroid hormone receptor-alpha1 (TR alpha 1) and retinoid X receptor-beta (RXRbeta) proteins and GH3 nuclear extracts demonstrated that the region from -10 to +19 bp of the hPC1 promoter bound TR alpha 1 as both a monomer and a homodimer and bound TR alpha 1/RXR beta as a heterodimer and multimer. EMSAs with oligonucleotides containing point mutations of the putative negative thyroid response elements (TREs) exhibited diminished homodimer and loss of multimer binding. We conclude that there are multiple novel TRE-like sequences in the hPC1 promoter located from -10 to +19 bp.

Regulation of hepatocyte thyroxine 5'-deiodinase by T3 and nuclear receptor coactivators as a model of the sick euthyroid syndrome

The syndrome of nonthyroidal illness, also known as the sick euthyroid syndrome, is characterized by a low plasma T3 and an "inappropriately normal" plasma thyrotropin in the absence of intrinsic disease of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. The syndrome is due in part to decreased activity of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase (5' D-I), the hepatic enzyme that converts thyroxine to T3 and that is induced at the transcriptional level by T3. The hypothesis tested is that cytokines decrease T3 induction of 5' D-I, resulting in decreased T3 production and hence a further decrease in 5' D-I. The proposed mechanism is competition for limiting amounts of nuclear receptor coactivators between the 5' D-I promoter and the promoters of cytokine-induced genes. Using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, we demonstrate that interleukins 1 and 6 inhibit the T3 induction of 5' D-I RNA and enzyme activity. This effect is at the level of transcription and can be partially overcome by exogenous steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1). The physical mass of endogenous SRC-1 is not affected by cytokine exposure, and exogenous SRC-1 does not affect 5' D-I in the absence of cytokines. The data support the hypothesis that cytokine-induced competition for limiting amounts of coactivators decreases hepatic 5' D-I expression, contributing to the etiology of the sick euthyroid syndrome.

Thyroid hormone regulates slow skeletal troponin I gene inactivation in cardiac troponin I null mouse hearts

Two main troponin I genes, cardiac (cTnI) and slow skeletal (ssTnI), are expressed in the mammalian heart under the control of a developmentally regulated program. ssTnI is expressed first in embryonic and fetal heart, and is then downregulated by an unknown mechanism after birth. Unlike other contractile protein genes, ssTnI is not re-expressed during hypertrophy or end-stage heart failure in rats and humans. In the present study, we also show that ssTnI re-expression does not occur in hypertrophic mouse heart. To investigate ssTnI downregulation further, cTnI knockout mice were used to examine a possible role for thyroid hormone. Northern blot analysis of euthyroid animals showed a time-dependent loss of ssTnI mRNA that was similar for wild-type, heterozygous and homozygous cTnI mutant mice. In cTnI null mice made hyperthyroid by l -thyroxine, the duration of ssTnI expression assessed by both mRNA and protein content was abbreviated compared with the euthyroid group. Hyperthyroid cTnI null mice also died significantly earlier than euthyroids (postnatal day 14 v day 18). In cTnI null mice made hypothyroid by addition of phenylthiouracil to the drinking water, ssTnI expression was prolonged and mice survived until day 20 or 21. Overall, the results indicate that inactivation of the ssTnI gene occurs even in the absence of cTnI mRNA and protein indicating that these are not critical signals for ssTnI down regulation in the heart. In contrast, thyroid hormone influences the time course of ssTnI expression and the life span of cTnI null mice probably through a transcriptional regulation of ssTnI in the heart.

Thyroid hormone regulation of apoptotic tissue remodeling: implications from molecular analysis of amphibian metamorphosis

Organogenesis and tissue remodeling are critical processes during postembryonic animal development. Anuran metamorphosis has for nearly a century served as an excellent model to study these processes in vertebrates. Frogs not only have essentially the same organs with the same functions as higher vertebrates such as humans, but also employ similar organogenic processes involving highly conserved genes. Development of frog organs takes place during metamorphosis, which is free of any maternal influences but absolutely dependent on the presence of thyroid hormone. Furthermore, this process can be easily manipulated both in intact tadpoles and in organ cultures by controlling the availability of thyroid hormone. These interesting properties have led to extensive morphological, cellular, and biochemical studies on amphibian metamorphosis. More recently, the cloning of thyroid hormone receptors and the demonstration that they are transcription factors have encouraged enormous interest in the molecular pathways controlling tissue remodeling induced by thyroid hormone during metamorphosis. This article summarizes some of the recent studies on the mechanisms of gene regulation by thyroid hormone receptors and isolation and functional characterization of genes induced by thyroid hormone during Xenopus metamorphosis. Particular focus is placed on the remodeling of the animal intestine, which involves both apoptosis (programmed cell death) of larval cells and de novo development of adult tissues, and the roles of thyroid hormone-induced genes that encode matrix metalloproteinases during this process.

Thyroid hormone of maternal origin regulates the expression of RC3/neurogranin mRNA in the fetal rat brain

Recent clinical studies indicate that thyroid hormone plays essential roles in fetal brain development. However, the mechanism by which thyroid hormone affects fetal brain development is poorly studied. We recently identified several genes expressed in the fetal cortex whose abundance is affected by thyroid hormone of maternal origin. However, it is unclear whether these genes are directly regulated by thyroid hormone. Because these are the first genes known to be regulated by thyroid hormone during fetal development, we sought to expand our investigation to genes known to be regulated directly by thyroid hormone. We now report that the well-known thyroid hormone-responsive gene RC3/neurogranin is expressed in the fetal brain and is regulated by thyroid hormone of maternal origin. These findings support the concept that maternal thyroid hormone exerts a direct action on the expression of genes in the fetal brain that are important for normal neurological development.

The Pit-1beta domain dictates active repression and alteration of histone acetylation of the proximal prolactin promoter

A critical problem in current molecular biology is to gain a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which related transcription factor isoforms with identical DNA sequence specificity mediate distinct transcription responses. Pit-1 and Pit-1beta constitute such a pair of transcription factor isoforms. Pit-1 enhances the Ras signaling pathway to the prolactin promoter, and Pit-1beta represses basal prolactin promoter activity as well as Ras signaling to the prolactin promoter in pituitary cells. We have previously demonstrated that the beta-domain amino acid sequence dictates the transcriptional properties of Pit-1beta. Here, we show that five hydrophobic beta-domain residues are required for Pit-1 isoform-specific repression of Ras signaling, and we demonstrate that sodium butyrate and trichostatin A, pharmacological inhibitors of histone deacetylation, as well as viral Ski protein, a dominant-negative inhibitor of recruitment of N-CoR/mSin3 histone deacetylase complexes, specifically reverse beta isoform-specific repression of Ras signaling. Moreover, we directly demonstrate, with a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, that the Pit-1beta isoform alters the histone acetylation state of the proximal prolactin promoter. This differential analysis of Pit-1/Pit-1beta isoform function provides significant insights into the structural determinants that govern how different transcription factors with identical DNA sequence specificity can display opposite effects on target gene activity.

Ontogenetic pattern of thyroid hormone receptor expression in the human testis

We studied the spatiotemporal distribution of thyroid hormone nuclear receptors (TRs) alpha1 and alpha2 and beta messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in normal human testicular tissue during development and in adulthood. Nonpathological specimens from five aborted fetuses (17 and 23 weeks of gestation, three and two cases, respectively) and from four patients undergoing orchiectomy (18 months old and 38-, 42-, and 52-yr-old, respectively) were analyzed by Northern blot, semiquantitative RT-PCR amplification using DNA sequences or specifically designed primers for the TR isoforms, and in situ hybridization. By using PCR amplification, we found that TRalpha1 and TRalpha2 are both expressed at different levels in fetal and adult testis. At all ages TRalpha2 is found at higher levels. Northern analysis showed hybridization signals corresponding to the expression of TRalpha2 and TRalpha in a ratio that increased from 2.6 at 17 weeks of gestation to 12.0 in adulthood. In fact, the expression of TRalpha1 dramatically decreased throughout development, being faintly detectable in the adult testis. Expression of TRbeta was not detected at any age studied. This finding was further confirmed by PCR, which did not amplify TRbeta either in fetal or in adult testis mRNAs. In situ hybridization studies showed the absence of TRbeta and that TRalpha1 and TRalpha2 colocalized in Sertoli cells of prepubertal testis, whereas germ and interstitial cells appeared devoid of TR mRNA signals. From these results it can be concluded that the human testis exclusively expresses TRalpha, which is localized in Sertoli cells, TRbeta being always undetectable. Fetal and prepubertal ages represent the period of maximal expression of TRalpha1 and TRalpha2. The alpha2/alpha1 ratio rises dramatically after development. These results confirm a critical window for the action of thyroid hormone in human testis, in the period of maximal expression of T3 binding isoform TRalpha1, and may account for the macroorchidism without virilization occurring when hyposecretion of thyroid hormones occurs before puberty.

Dual functions of thyroid hormone receptors during Xenopus development

Thyroid hormone (TH) plays a causative role in anuran metamorphosis. This effect is presumed to be manifested through the regulation of gene expression by TH receptors (TRs). TRs can act as both activators and repressors of a TH-inducible gene depending upon the presence and absence of TH, respectively. We have been investigating the roles of TRs during Xenopus laevis development, including premetamorphic and metamorphosing stages. In this review, we summarize some of the studies on the TRs by others and us. These studies reveal that TRs have dual functions in frog development as reflected in the following two aspects. First, TRs function initially as repressors of TH-inducible genes in premetamorphic tadpoles to prevent precocious metamorphosis, thus ensuring a proper period of tadpole growth, and later as activators of these genes to activate the metamorphic process. Second, TRs can promote both cell proliferation and apoptosis during metamorphosis, depending upon the cell type in which they are expressed.

The roles of prolactin, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, and thyroid hormones in lymphocyte development and function: insights from genetic models of hormone and hormone receptor deficiency

An extensive literature suggesting that PRL, GH, IGF-I, and thyroid hormones play an important role in immunity has evolved. Because the use of one or more of these hormones as immunostimulants in humans is being considered, it is of critical importance to resolve their precise role in immunity. This review addresses new experimental evidence from analysis of lymphocyte development and function in mice with genetic defects in expression of these hormones or their receptors that calls into question the presumed role played by some of these hormones and reveals unexpected effects of others. These recent findings from the mutant mouse models are integrated and placed in context of the wider literature on endocrine-immune system interactions. The hypothesis that will be developed is that, with the exception of a role for thyroid hormones in B cell development, PRL, GH, and IGF-I are not obligate immunoregulators. Instead, they apparently act as anabolic and stress-modulating hormones in most cells, including those of the immune system.

Hepatocyte-specific mutation establishes retinoid X receptor alpha as a heterodimeric integrator of multiple physiological processes in the liver

A large number of physiological processes in the adult liver are regulated by nuclear receptors that require heterodimerization with retinoid X receptors (RXRs). In this study, we have used cre-mediated recombination to disrupt the mouse RXRalpha gene specifically in hepatocytes. Although such mice are viable, molecular and biochemical parameters indicate that every one of the examined metabolic pathways in the liver (mediated by RXR heterodimerization with PPARalpha, CARbeta, PXR, LXR, and FXR) is compromised in the absence of RXRalpha. These data demonstrate the presence of a complex circuitry in which RXRalpha is integrated into a number of diverse physiological pathways as a common regulatory component of cholesterol, fatty acid, bile acid, steroid, and xenobiotic metabolism and homeostasis.

Alterations in retinoid X receptor-alpha expression contribute to cell-type dependent differences in thyroid hormone regulation of malic enzyme transcription

Triiodothyronine (T3) stimulates a marked increase (> 40-fold) in transcription of the malic enzyme gene in chick embryo hepatocytes (CEH), but has no effect on malic enzyme transcription in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) that express nuclear T3 receptors (TR) at levels which are similar to those of CEH. Heterodimerization of the TR with other nuclear proteins is a potential mechanism for the regulation of T3 action. For example, heterodimers of retinoid X receptors (RXR) and TR bind to T3 response elements (T3RE) with higher affinity and modulate transcription more effectively than TR homodimers. In the present report, we investigated the role of RXR in mediating differences in T3 responsiveness of the malic enzyme gene between CEH and CEF. Data from gel mobility shift analyses demonstrated that endogenous TRs from CEH and CEF bind to the major T3RE of the malic enzyme gene primarily as heterodimers with RXR alpha or a protein highly related to RXR alpha. The total binding activity of RXR alpha/TR complexes in CEF was decreased relative to that observed in CEH. Cell-type dependent differences in RXR alpha/TR complex formation were greater in cells incubated in the presence of T3 because T3 treatment increased RXR alpha/TR binding activity in CEH but had no effect on RXR alpha/TR binding activity in CEF. Decreased RXR alpha/TR complex formation in CEF relative to CEH was associated with a reduction in the abundance of RXR alpha protein and RXR alpha mRNA in the former cell-type. Expression of exogenous RXR alpha in CEF increased the T3 responsiveness of the malic enzyme promoter by about 4-fold. In contrast, expression of exogenous RXR alpha in CEH had no effect on the regulation of malic enzyme transcription by T3. These observations support the hypothesis that alterations in RXR alpha expression contribute to cell-type dependent differences in T3 responsiveness of the malic enzyme gene.

Acute changes in maternal thyroid hormone induce rapid and transient changes in gene expression in fetal rat brain

Despite clinical evidence that thyroid hormone is essential for brain development before birth, effects of thyroid hormone on the fetal brain have been largely unexplored. One mechanism of thyroid hormone action is regulation of gene expression, because thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors. We used differential display to identify genes affected by acute T(4) administration to the dam before the onset of fetal thyroid function. Eight of the 11 genes that we identified were selectively expressed in brain areas known to contain TRs, indicating that these genes were directly regulated by thyroid hormone. Using in situ hybridization, we confirmed that the cortical expression of both neuroendocrine-specific protein (NSP) and Oct-1 was affected by changes in maternal thyroid status. Additionally, we demonstrated that both NSP and Oct-1 were expressed in the adult brain and that their responsiveness to thyroid hormone was retained. These data are the first to identify thyroid hormone-responsive genes in the fetal brain.

Functions of thyroid hormone receptors in mice

Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) play a central role in mediating the actions of thyroid hormone in development and homeostasis in vertebrate species. The TRs are nuclear receptors that act as ligand-regulated transcription factors. There are two TR genes (TRalpha and TRbeta), each capable of generating different variant products, suggesting a potentially complex array of TR pathways. Targeted mutagenesis in the mouse has indicated that there are specific individual functions for the TR genes in vivo. The deletion of combinations of TRalpha and TRbeta variants has revealed that additional functions are convergently regulated by both TR genes and indicates that control of an extended range of functions is facilitated by a network of specific and common TR pathways. The TR-deficient mouse models have allowed investigation of the TR pathways underlying many functions of thyroid hormone and provide a unique perspective on receptor-mediated mechanisms of biological control.

Tissue-specific actions of thyroid hormone: insights from animal models

The major developmental targets for thyroid hormone are the brain, small intestine, and bone. Clear defects in gene regulation and tissue function as a consequence of TR gene inactivation can additionally be shown in the pituitary, hypothalamus, heart, and liver. TR gene knockout models show a clear distinction between thyroid hormone requirements for development and those that are required for functions in the adult animal. T3-mediated gene repression appears especially important in a number of tissues including brain, pituitary, and the heart. Preliminary evaluation of the combined TR knockout models suggests that hypothyroidism is associated with more significant abnormalities than receptor deficiency, indicating that the repressive action of the unliganded receptor may have physiological relevance. These various animal models should be very useful to design and test thyroid hormone analogues to selectively stimulate desired thyroid hormone actions.

[Thyroid hormone resistance syndromes: clinical aspects]

INTRODUCTION

Syndromes of resistance to thyroid hormone correspond to variable clinical states which are usually transmitted as autosomal dominant traits and characterized by the lack of sensitivity of target tissues to triiodothyronine (T3). The diagnosis has to be performed in order to offer an appropriate therapy.

CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS

Clinical states range between two extremes: the generalized form, with global euthyroidism, and the predominantly pituitary form, with thyrotoxicosis. Surprisingly, these various clinical situations are usually determined by the same genetic defect, i.e., an anomaly of one of the two alleles of the gene encoding the thyroid hormone receptor TR beta. High levels of circulating thyroid hormones in the presence of detectable thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels is the characteristic biological feature. Pituitary thyreotropic adenoma, another etiology of inappropriate secretion of TSH, needs thus to be ruled out. No treatment is required in case of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone, whereas two specific drugs (TRIAC and D-T4) appear to be useful in the predominantly pituitary form.

FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS

Mechanisms of resistance have been well documented, therefore allowing better understanding of T3 action on its nuclear receptor. Several transcriptional cofactors or corepressors have been identified and have to be investigated to explain the intriguing inter- and intra-familial, and even intra-individual, phenotypic variability. New insights should, furthermore, be gained from these studies to precisely determine how therapeutic agents work in resistance to thyroid hormone.

The adenovirus E1A protein is a potent coactivator for thyroid hormone receptors

The thyroid hormone receptors interact with several different cofactors when activating transciption. In this study, we show that the adenovirus E1A oncoprotein functions as a strong coactivator for the thyroid hormone receptor (TR), and that TR and E1A synergistically activate transcription via direct (DR4) or palindromic (IRO) hormone-responsive sites. Cotransfection experiments using different isoforms of the chicken TR and E1A show synergistic, ligand-enhanced transactivation. This transactivation is accomplished through a direct, ligand-independent interaction between TR and E1A. The interaction domains in TR are localized to the DNA-binding domain and to the carboxy-terminal part of the ligand-binding domain. In E1A, the regions of interactions are localized to the conserved regions 1 and 3. Both of these domains in E1A are required for a 40-fold enhancement of TR-mediated activation in transfection experiments. Taken together, we show that E1A strongly enhances transcriptional activation, which suggests that it serves as a bridging factor between the receptor and other components of the transcription machinery.