Identification of the human aldolase A gene as the first induced target for the TR2 orphan receptor, a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily

Collective repression of the hepatitis B virus enhancer II by human TR4 and TR2 orphan receptors

AIM

The human testicular receptor 4 and 2 (TR4 and TR2) orphan receptors are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily that regulate target gene expression via binding to the consensus AGGTCA direct repeats of the hormone response elements. Previous studies have reported that TR4 and other nuclear receptors could bind to the direct repeat 1 element of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter.

METHODS

Differential gene expression of HBV caused by TR4 and TR2 was determined by gel retardation and functional assays.

RESULTS

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that TR4 and TR2 might bind to the direct repeat 6 element of the HBV enhancer II region. RESULTS of the dual-luciferasereporter gene assay showed that TR4 and TR2 might significantly suppress HBV gene expression through this direct repeat 6 element in the enhancer II.

CONCLUSION

These results implied that TR4 together with its heterodimer partner TR2 could collectively play a significant role in the transcriptional suppression of HBV gene expression via the direct repeat 6 element in the enhancer II. Therefore, the application of nuclear receptors potentially may be antiviral agents in chronic HBV infection.

International Union of Pharmacology. LXVI. Orphan nuclear receptors

Half of the members of the nuclear receptors superfamily are so-called "orphan" receptors because the identity of their ligand, if any, is unknown. Because of their important biological roles, the study of orphan receptors has attracted much attention recently and has resulted in rapid advances that have helped in the discovery of novel signaling pathways. In this review we present the main features of orphan receptors, discuss the structure of their ligand-binding domains and their biological functions. The paradoxical existence of a pharmacology of orphan receptors, a rapidly growing and innovative field, is highlighted.

Transactivation of the proximal promoter of human oxytocin gene by TR4 orphan receptor

The human testicular receptor 4 (TR4) shares structural homology with members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Some other members of this superfamily were able to regulate the transcriptional activity of the human oxytocin (OXT) promoter by binding to the first DR0 regulatory site. However, little investigation was conducted systematically in the study of the second dDR4 site of OXT proximal promoter, and the relationship between the first and the second sites of OXT promoter. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that TR4 could increase the proximal promoter activity of the human OXT gene via DR0, dDR4, and OXT (both DR0 and dDR4) elements, respectively. TR4 might induce OXT gene expression through the OXT element in a dose-dependent manner. However, there is no synergistic effect between DR0 and dDR4 elements during TR4 transactivation. Taken together, these results suggested that TR4 should be one of important regulators of OXT gene expression.

Transcriptional regulation of the human TR2 orphan receptor gene by nuclear factor 1-A

The human testicular receptor 2 (TR2), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, has no identified ligand yet. Previous evidence demonstrated that a 63bp DNA fragment, named the promoter activating cis-element (PACE), has been identified as a positive regulatory region in the 5' promoter region of the human TR2 gene. In the present report, the human nuclear factor 1-A (NF1-A) was identified as a transcriptional activator to recognize the center of the PACE, called the PACE-C. NF1-A could bind to the 18bp PACE-C region, and enhance about 13- to 17-fold of the luciferase reporter gene activity via the PACE-C in dose-dependent and orientation-independent manners. This transcriptional activation was further confirmed by real-time RT-PCR assay. In conclusion, our results indicated that NF1-A transcription factor plays an important role in the transcriptional activation of the TR2 gene expression via the PACE-C in the minimal promoter region.

Control of muscle bioenergetic gene expression: implications for allometric scaling relationships of glycolytic and oxidative enzymes

Muscle metabolic properties vary with body size, with larger animals relying relatively less on oxidative metabolism as a result of lower specific activities of mitochondrial enzymes and greater specific activities of glycolytic enzymes. While many have argued reasons why such relationships might be grounded in physical relationships, an explanation for the regulatory basis of the differences in enzyme levels remains unexplored. Focusing on skeletal muscle, we review potential cellular and genetic explanations for the relationship between bioenergetic enzymes and body mass. Differences in myonuclear domain (the ratio of fiber volume to nuclei number) in conjunction with constitutive expression may explain part of the variation in mitochondrial content among fiber types and species. Superimposed on such constitutive determinants are (1) extrinsic signalling pathways that control the muscle contractile and metabolic phenotype and (2) intrinsic signalling pathways that translate changes in cellular milieu (ions, metabolites, oxygen,redox) arising through the contractile phenotype into changes in enzyme synthesis. These signalling pathways work through transcriptional regulation,as well as post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation, acting via synthesis and degradation.

TR2 orphan receptor functions as negative modulator for androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells PC-3

BACKGROUND

Both androgen receptor (AR) and orphan receptor TR2 (TR2) belong to the steroid nuclear receptor superfamily and are expressed in prostate cancer tissue and cell lines. AR has been known to be involved in prostate proliferation and prostate cancer progression. AR binds to androgen response elements and regulates target gene expression via a mechanism involving coregulators. However, the function of TR2 in prostate and prostate cancer and the relationship between TR2 and AR in the prostate cancer is unclear.

METHODS

Transient transfection and CAT reporter gene assays were employed to assess AR-mediated transactivation. The expression level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was measured by Northern blot analysis. The interaction between AR and TR2 was assessed by glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay and mammalian two-hybrid system assay.

RESULTS

Orphan nuclear receptor TR2 suppressed androgen-mediated transactivation in prostate cancer PC-3 cells, and over-expression of TR2 suppressed PSA expression. The suppression of AR mediated transactivation by TR2 is not due to competition for the limited coregulator availability by these two receptors, but possibly through the interaction between TR2 and AR nuclear receptors.

CONCLUSIONS

TR2 may function as a negative modulator to suppress AR function in prostate cancer. Further studies on how to control TR2 function may result in the ability to modulate AR function in prostate cancer.

Recent advances in the TR2 and TR4 orphan receptors of the nuclear receptor superfamily

The human testicular receptor 2 (TR2) and TR4 orphan receptors are two evolutionarily related proteins belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. Numerous TR2 and TR4 variants and homologs have been identified from different species, including vertebrates (e.g. human, murine, rabbit, fish, and amphibian) and invertebrates (e.g. Drosophila, sea urchin, and nematode) since TR2 was initially isolated over a decade ago. Specific tissue distribution, genomic organization, and chromosomal assignment of both orphan receptors have been investigated. In order to reveal the physiological functions played by both TR2 and TR4, upstream modulators of TR2 and TR4 gene expression, their downstream target gene regulation, feedback mechanisms, and differential modulation mediated by the recruitment of other nuclear receptors and coregulators have been investigated. Studies summarized in the present report have provided unexpected insights into the TR2 and TR4 functions in a variety of biological processes. The essential and difficult tasks of identifying orphan receptor ligands, agonist/antagonist assignment, their physiological functions, and mechanisms of action will continue to challenge nuclear receptor researchers in the future.

TR4 orphan receptor represses the human steroid 21-hydroxylase gene expression through the monomeric AGGTCA motif

The human TR4 orphan receptor (TR4) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. It functions as a transcriptional factor which regulates and controls many important physiological functions. It has been documented that TR4 may bind as a homodimer to a DNA response element containing two direct repeats of the AGGTCA consensus motif. Surprisingly, our data reveal that the expression of the human steroid 21-hydroxylase (21-OHase) gene could be repressed by TR4 via the monomeric AGGTCA motif (-228TR4RE) at its 5' flanking region (nucleotide numbers 1431-1444, 5'-GGAAAAAGGTCAGG-3'). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed specific binding with a dissociation constant of 0.4 nM between TR4 and the monomeric -288TR4RE motif. However, TR4 does not form heterodimers with either retinoid X receptor alpha or SHP (short heterodimer partner) orphan receptor. Additionally, both dual-luciferase and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assays demonstrated that TR4 can function as a repressor via the -228TR4RE of the 21-OHase gene. In conclusion, our data suggest that TR4 may bind to a monomeric DNA response element and play an important role in the suppression of the 21-OHase gene expression.

Feedback Regulation between Orphan Nuclear Receptor TR2 and Human Papilloma Virus Type 16

The human TR2 orphan receptor (TR2), initially isolated from testis and prostate cDNA libraries, is a member of the steroid receptor superfamily. TR2 can regulate several target genes via binding to a consensus response element (AGGTCA) in direct repeat orientation (AGGTCAX((n))AGGTCA, n = 0-6). Here we show that TR2 is able to induce the expression of human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV-16) genes via binding to a DR4 response element in the long control region of HPV-16. Additionally, one of the HPV-16 gene products, the E6 oncogene, regulates TR2 gene expression. A likely mechanism for this regulation involves E6-mediated degradation of the tumor suppressor p53, a protein known to suppress TR2 expression. Together our data provide evidence for feedback regulation between TR2 and HPV-16, which represents a novel regulatory pathway involving a member of the steroid receptor superfamily and the HPV-16 DNA tumor virus.