A structural explanation for ERalpha/ERbeta SERM discrimination

Nuclear receptor engineering based on novel structure activity relationships revealed by farnesyl pyrophosphate

Nuclear receptors (NRs) comprise the second largest protein family targeted by currently available drugs, acting via specific ligand interactions within the ligand binding domain (LBD). Recently, farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) was shown to be a unique promiscuous NR ligand, activating a subset of NR family members and inhibiting wound healing in skin. The current study aimed at visualizing the unique basis of FPP interaction with multiple receptors in order to identify general structure-activity relationships that operate across the NR family. Docking of FPP to the 3D structures of the LBDs of a diverse set of NRs consistently revealed an electrostatic FPP pyrophosphate contact with an NR arginine conserved in the NR family, a hydrophobic farnesyl contact with NR helix-12 and a ligand binding pocket volume between 300 and 430 Å(3) as the minimal requirements for FPP activation of any NR. Lack of any of these structural features appears to render a given NR resistant to FPP activation. We used these structure-activity relationships to rationally design and successfully engineer several mutant human estrogen receptors that retain responsiveness to estradiol but no longer respond to FPP.

Structural overview of the nuclear receptor superfamily: insights into physiology and therapeutics

As ligand-regulated transcription factors, the nuclear hormone receptors are nearly ideal drug targets, with internal pockets that bind to hydrophobic, drug-like molecules and well-characterized ligand-induced conformational changes that recruit transcriptional coregulators to promoter elements. Yet, due to the multitude of genes under the control of a single receptor, the major challenge has been the identification of ligands with gene-selective actions, impacting disease outcomes through a narrow subset of target genes and not across their entire gene-regulatory repertoire. Here, we summarize the concepts and work to date underlying the development of steroidal and nonsteroidal receptor ligands, including the use of crystal structures, high-throughput screens, and rational design approaches for finding useful therapeutic molecules. Difficulties in finding selective receptor modulators require a more complete understanding of receptor interdomain communications, posttranslational modifications, and receptor-protein interactions that could be exploited for target gene selectivity.