Steroid-induced conformational changes at ends of the hormone-binding domain in the rat glucocorticoid receptor are independent of agonist versus antagonist activity

A conformational switch in the ligand-binding domain regulates the dependence of the glucocorticoid receptor on Hsp90

Steroid hormone receptors (SRs) are transcription factors that act as regulatory switches by altering gene expression in response to ligands. The highly conserved ligand-binding domain of SRs is a precise but versatile molecular switch that can adopt distinct conformations. Differential stabilization of these conformations by ligands, DNA response elements and transcriptional coregulators controls the activity of SRs in a gene-specific and cell-specific manner. In the case of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), high-affinity ligand binding requires the interaction of the LBD with the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Here, we show that the dependence of the ligand binding ability of GR on Hsp90 can be modified by the replacement of single amino acids within an allosteric network that connects the buried ligand-binding pocket and a solvent-exposed coregulator interaction surface. Each of the identified mutations altered the equilibrium between alternative GR conformations distinctively, indicating that the Hsp90 dependence of SRs may correlate with differences in the conformational dynamics of these receptors. Our results suggest that Hsp90 stabilizes the GR ligand-binding pocket indirectly by utilizing the allosteric network, while allowing the receptor to remain structurally uncommitted. Thus, in addition to ensuring the accessibility of the GR ligand-binding pocket to ligands, Hsp90 seems to enable hormones and coregulators to act as allosteric effectors, which forms the basis for gene-specific and cell-specific responses of GR to ligands.

Unliganded and hormone-bound glucocorticoid receptors interact with distinct hydrophobic sites in the Hsp90 C-terminal domain

Unlike most chaperones, heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) interacts with a select group of "client proteins" that regulate essential biological processes. Little is known about how Hsp90 recognizes and binds these proteins. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a well characterized Hsp90 client protein, whose hormone binding, nuclear-cytoplasmic trafficking, and transcriptional activity are regulated by Hsp90. Here, we provide evidence that unliganded and hormone-bound GR interact with two distinct, solvent-exposed hydrophobic sites in the Hsp90 C-terminal domain that contain the sequences "MxxIM" (HM10) and "L/MxxIL" (HM9). Our results indicate that binding of Hsp90 HM10 to unliganded GR stabilizes the unliganded ligand-binding pocket of GR indirectly by promoting an intramolecular interaction between the C-terminal alpha-helix (H12) and a solvent-exposed hydrophobic groove in the GR ligand binding domain. In the presence of hormone, Hsp90 appears to bind the hydrophobic groove of GR directly by mimicking the interactions of GR with transcriptional coactivators. The identified interactions provide insights into the mechanisms that enable Hsp90 to regulate the activity of both unliganded and hormone-bound GR and to sharpen the cellular response to hormone.

Chaperoning of glucocorticoid receptors

A multiprotein hsp90/hsp70-based chaperone machinery functions as a 'cradle-to-grave' system for regulating the steroid binding, trafficking and turnover of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In an ATP-dependent process where hsp70 and hsp90 act as essential chaperones and Hop, hsp40, and p23 act as nonessential co-chaperones, the machinery assembles complexes between the ligand binding domain of the GR and hsp90. During GR-hsp90 heterocomplex assembly, the hydrophobic ligand-binding cleft is opened to access by steroid, and subsequent binding of steroid within the cleft triggers a transformation of the receptor such that it engages in more dynamic cycles of assembly/disassembly with hsp90 that are required for rapid dynein-dependent translocation to the nucleus. Within the nucleus, the hsp90 chaperone machinery plays a critical role both in GR movement to transcription regulatory sites and in the disassembly of regulatory complexes as the hormone level declines. The chaperone machinery also plays a critical role in stabilization of the GR to ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation. The initial GR interaction with hsp70 appears to be critical for the triage between hsp90 heterocomplex assembly and preservation of receptor function vs CHIP-dependent ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation. The hsp90 chaperone machinery is ubiquitous and functionally conserved among eukaryotes, and it is possible that all physiologically significant actions of hsp90 require the hsp70-dependent assembly of client protein-hsp90 heterocomplexes.

Role of activation function domain-1, DNA binding, and coactivator GRIP1 in the expression of partial agonist activity of glucocorticoid receptor-antagonist complexes

The determinants of the partial agonist activity of most antisteroids complexed with steroid receptors are not well understood. We now examine the role of the N-terminal half of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) including the activation domain (AF-1), the DNA binding site sequence, receptor contact with DNA, and coactivator binding on the expression of partial agonist activity in two cell lines for GRs bound by five antiglucocorticoids: dexamethasone mesylate (Dex-Mes), dexamethasone oxetanone (Dex-Ox), progesterone (Prog), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), and RU486. Using truncated GRs, we find that the N-terminal half of GR and the AF-1 domain are dispensable for the partial agonist activity of antiglucocorticoids. This contrasts with the AF-1 domain being required for the partial agonist activity of antisteroids with most steroid receptors. DNA sequence (MMTV vs a simple GRE enhancer) and cell-specific factors (CV-1 vs Cos-7) exert minor effects on the level of partial agonist activity. Small activity differences for some complexes of GAL4/GR chimeras with GR- vs GAL-responsive reporters suggest a contribution of DNA-induced conformational changes. A role for steroid-regulated coactivator binding to GRs is compatible with the progressively smaller increase in partial agonist activity of Dex-Mes > Prog > RU486 with added GRIP1 in CV-1 cells. This hypothesis is consistent with titration experiments, where low concentrations of GRIP1 more effectively increase the partial agonist activity of Dex-Mes than Prog complexes. Furthermore, ligand-dependent GRIP1 binding to DNA-bound GR complexes decreases in the order of Dex > Dex-Mes > Prog > RU486. Thus, the partial agonist activity of a given GR-steroid complex in CV-1 cells correlates with its cell-free binding of GRIP1. The ability to modify the levels of partial agonist activity through changes in steroid structure, DNA sequence, specific DNA-induced conformational changes, and coactivator binding suggests that useful variations in endocrine therapies may be possible by the judicious selection of these parameters to afford gene and tissue selective results.

The distinct agonistic properties of the phenylpyrazolosteroid cortivazol reveal interdomain communication within the glucocorticoid receptor

Recent structural analyses of the nuclear receptors establish a paradigm of receptor activation, in which agonist binding induces the ligand binding domain (LBD)/activation function-2 helix to form a charge clamp for coactivator recruitment. However, these analyses have not sufficiently addressed the mechanisms for differential actions of various synthetic steroids in terms of fine tuning of multiple functions of whole receptor molecules. In the present study, we used the glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-specific agonist cortivazol (CVZ) to probe the plasticity and functional modularity of the GR. Structural docking analysis revealed that although CVZ is more bulky than other agonists, it can be accommodated in the ligand binding pocket of the GR by reorientation of several amino acid side chains but without major alterations in the active conformation of the LBD. In this induced fit model, the phenylpyrazole A-ring of CVZ establishes additional contacts with helices 3 and 5 of the LBD that may contribute to a more stable LBD configuration. Structural and functional analysis revealed that CVZ is able to compensate for the deleterious effects of a C-terminal deletion of the LBD in a manner that mimics the stabilizing influence of the F602S point mutation. CVZ-mediated productive recruitment of transcriptional intermediary factor 2 to the C-terminally deleted LBD requires the receptor's own DNA binding domain and is positively influenced by the N-terminal regions of GR or progesterone receptor. These results support a model where ligand-dependent conformational changes in the LBD play a role in GR-mediated gene regulation via modular interaction with the DBD and activation function-1.

The role of hsp90 in heme-dependent activation of apo-neuronal nitric-oxide synthase

Like other nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes, neuronal NOS (nNOS) turnover and activity are regulated by the ubiquitous protein chaperone hsp90. We have shown previously that nNOS expressed in Sf9 cells where endogenous heme levels are low is activated from the apo- to the holo-enzyme by addition of exogenous heme to the culture medium, and this activation is inhibited by radicicol, a specific inhibitor of hsp90 (Billecke, S. S., Bender, A. T., Kanelakis, K. C., Murphy, P. J. M., Lowe, E. R., Kamada, Y., Pratt, W. B., and Osawa, Y. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 15465-15468). In this work, we examine heme binding by apo-nNOS to form the active enzyme in a cell-free system. We show that cytosol from Sf9 cells facilitates heme-dependent apo-nNOS activation by promoting functional heme insertion into the enzyme. Sf9 cytosol also converts the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to a state where the hydrophobic ligand binding cleft is open to access by steroid. Both cell-free heme activation of purified nNOS and activation of steroid binding activity of the immunopurified GR are inhibited by radicicol treatment of Sf9 cells prior to cytosol preparation, and addition of purified hsp90 to cytosol partially overcomes this inhibition. Although there is an hsp90-dependent machinery in Sf9 cytosol that facilitates heme binding by apo-nNOS, it is clearly different from the machinery that facilitates steroid binding by the GR. hsp90 regulation of apo-nNOS heme activation is very dynamic and requires higher concentrations of radicicol for its inhibition, whereas GR steroid binding is determined by assembly of stable GR.hsp90 heterocomplexes that are formed by a purified five-chaperone machinery that does not activate apo-nNOS.

Coregulator function: a key to understanding tissue specificity of selective receptor modulators

Ligands for the nuclear receptor superfamily control many aspects of biology, including development, reproduction, and homeostasis, through regulation of the transcriptional activity of their cognate receptors. Selective receptor modulators (SRMs) are receptor ligands that exhibit agonistic or antagonistic biocharacter in a cell- and tissue context-dependent manner. The prototypical SRM is tamoxifen, which as a selective estrogen receptor modulator, can activate or inhibit estrogen receptor action. SRM-induced alterations in the conformation of the ligand-binding domains of nuclear receptors influence their abilities to interact with other proteins, such as coactivators and corepressors. It has been postulated, therefore, that the relative balance of coactivator and corepressor expression within a given target cell determines the relative agonist vs. antagonist activity of SRMs. However, recent evidence reveals that the cellular environment also plays a critical role in determining SRM biocharacter. Cellular signaling influences the activity and subcellular localization of coactivators and corepressors as well as nuclear receptors, and this contributes to gene-, cell-, and tissue-specific responses to SRM ligands. Increased understanding of the effect of cellular environment on nuclear receptors and their coregulators has the potential to open the field of SRM discovery and research to many members of the nuclear receptor superfamily.

Visualization and mechanism of assembly of a glucocorticoid receptor.Hsp70 complex that is primed for subsequent Hsp90-dependent opening of the steroid binding cleft

A minimal system of five proteins, hsp90, hsp70, Hop, hsp40, and p23, assembles glucocorticoid receptor (GR).hsp90 heterocomplexes and causes the simultaneous opening of the steroid binding cleft to access by steroid. The first step in assembly is the ATP-dependent and hsp40 (YDJ-1)-dependent formation of a GR.hsp70 complex that primes the receptor for subsequent ATP-dependent activation by hsp90, Hop, and p23. This study focuses on three aspects of the GR priming reaction with hsp70. First, we have visualized the primed GR.hsp70 complexes by atomic force microscopy, and we find the most common stoichiometry to be 1:1, with some complexes of a size approximately 1:2 and a few complexes of larger size. Second, in a recent study of progesterone receptor priming, it was shown that hsp40 binds first, leading to the notion that it targets hsp70 to the receptor. We show here that hsp40 does not perform such a targeting function in priming the GR. Third, we focus on a short amino-terminal segment of the ligand binding domain that is required for GR.hsp90 heterocomplex assembly. By using two glutathione S-transferase (GST)/ligand binding domain fusions with (GST/520C) and without (GST/554C) hsp90 binding and steroid binding activity, we show that the priming step with hsp70 occurs with GST/554C, and it is the subsequent assembly step with hsp90 that is defective.

Agonist but not antagonist ligands induce conformational change in the mouse aryl hydrocarbon receptor as detected by partial proteolysis

The cytosolic transcription factor known as the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) undergoes transformation to a DNA-binding form by a series of processes initiated by binding of ligand. Subsequent steps include dissociation of several proteins that are complexed with the inactive receptor, nuclear translocation, and dimerization with Arnt. We have used limited proteolysis of the in vitro-translated mouse AhR to determine whether this technique can detect conformational change(s) associated with AhR transformation and whether the effect of agonist and antagonist ligands can be distinguished by this assay. Limited digestion of [(35)S]AhR/AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) by trypsin produced a peptide of approximately 40 kDa that was more resistant to proteolysis in the presence of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) than vehicle and was also Arnt-dependent. This trypsin-resistant peptide was also elicited in the presence of other agonist ligands, but not with antagonist ligands that do not form the DNA-binding AhR/Arnt complex. Immunoblot of trypsin-treated AhR/Arnt +/- TCDD indicated that the trypsin-resistant peptide did not include the N-terminal portion of the AhR against which the antibody was made. Truncated AhRs were also subjected to limited trypsinization. From AhR(1-399), a TCDD-dependent peptide of approximately 35 kDa was observed; from the constitutively active AhR(1-348), a band of approximately 30 kDa was produced from vehicle- and TCDD-treated protein. From these observations, we hypothesize that the trypsin-resistant peptide from full-length AhR spans approximately from amino acid 80 to 440. We conclude that agonist ligands initiate structural alteration in AhR that is Arnt-dependent and at least partially involves the ligand-binding/Per-Arnt-Sim domain.

Regulation of signaling protein function and trafficking by the hsp90/hsp70-based chaperone machinery

Nearly 100 proteins are known to be regulated by hsp90. Most of these substrates or "client proteins" are involved in signal transduction, and they are brought into complex with hsp90 by a multiprotein hsp90/hsp70-based chaperone machinery. In addition to binding substrate proteins at the chaperone site(s), hsp90 binds cofactors at other sites that are part of the heterocomplex assembly machinery as well as immunophilins that connect assembled substrate*hsp90 complexes to protein-trafficking systems. In the 5 years since we last reviewed this subject, much has been learned about hsp90 structure, nucleotide-binding, and cochaperone interactions; the most important concept is that ATP hydrolysis by an intrinsic ATPase activity results in a conformational change in hsp90 that is required to induce conformational change in a substrate protein. The conformational change induced in steroid receptors is an opening of the steroid-binding cleft so that it can be accessed by steroid. We have now developed a minimal system of five purified proteins-hsp90, hsp70, Hop, hsp40, and p23- that assembles stable receptor*hsp90 heterocomplexes. An hsp90*Hop*hsp70*hsp40 complex opens the cleft in an ATP-dependent process to produce a receptor*hsp90 heterocomplex with hsp90 in its ATP-bound conformation, and p23 then interacts with the hsp90 to stabilize the complex. Stepwise assembly experiments have shown that hsp70 and hsp40 first interact with the receptor in an ATP-dependent reaction to produce a receptor*hsp70*hsp40 complex that is "primed" to be activated to the steroid-binding state in a second ATP-dependent step with hsp90, Hop, and p23. Successful use of the five-protein system with other substrates indicates that it can assemble signal protein*hsp90 heterocomplexes whether the substrate is a receptor, a protein kinase, or a transcription factor. This purified system should facilitate understanding of how eukaryotic hsp70 and hsp90 work together as essential components of a process that alters the conformations of substrate proteins to states that respond in signal transduction.

Mutations at positions 547-553 of rat glucocorticoid receptors reveal that hsp90 binding requires the presence, but not defined composition, of a seven-amino acid sequence at the amino terminus of the ligand binding domain

Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) must heterocomplex with hsp90 to have an open steroid binding cleft that can be accessed by steroid. We reported that a seven-amino acid sequence (547-553 of rat GR) overlapping the amino-terminal end of the ligand binding domain is required for hsp90 binding to GR. We have now conducted saturation mutagenesis of this sequence, which appears to be part of the surface where the ligand binding cleft merges with the surface of the ligand binding domain. No single point mutation causes significant changes in any of a variety of biochemical and biological properties in addition to hsp90 binding. A triple mutation (P548A/T549A/V551A) increases by >100-fold the steroid concentration required for half-maximal induction without affecting the level of maximal induction or coactivator response. Interestingly, this triple mutant displays reduced binding of steroid and hsp90 in whole cells, but it possesses wild type affinity for steroid and normal hsp90 binding capacity under cell-free conditions. This phenotype of a dramatic shift in the dose response for transactivation would be expected from an increase in the rate of disassembly of the triple mutant GR.hsp90 heterocomplex in the cell. Mutation of the entire seven-amino acid region to CAAAAAC maintains the presence of a critical alpha-helical structure and heterocomplex formation with hsp90 but eliminates steroid binding and transcriptional activation, thus disconnecting hsp90 binding from opening of the ligand binding cleft and steroid binding.

Increased glucocorticoid receptor Beta expression converts mouse hybridoma cells to a corticosteroid-insensitive phenotype

Glucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity is a challenging clinical problem associated with many chronic inflammatory disorders and life-threatening disease progression. The molecular basis of GC insensitivity, however, is unknown. Alternative splicing of the GC receptor (GCR) pre-mRNA generates a second GCR, termed GCRbeta, which does not bind GC but antagonizes the transactivating activity of the classic GCR, termed GCRalpha. GC-insensitive conditions have been associated with increased GCRbeta expression. Whether or not increased GCRbeta expression can contribute to GC insensitivity, however, remains controversial. To more precisely demonstrate the effect of GCRbeta on steroid responsiveness, we virally transduced GCRbeta cDNA into mouse DO-11.10 hybridoma cells, as mice are known to be deficient in the GCRbeta gene. We demonstrate that viral transduction of GCRbeta cDNA into mouse hybridoma cells to induce stable expression of GCRbeta results in GC insensitivity of these cells. Furthermore, in such cells GCRalpha is complexed with GCRbeta. Such heterodimer formation may account for the reduced effectiveness of GC action in cells overexpressing GCRbeta.

Drug discovery and the intracellular receptor family

Drug discovery using intracellular receptors (IRs) as targets presents its own set of unique complications and advantages. The natural ligands for these receptors are, in many cases, already used as drugs. To effectively exploit these targets, newer molecules must have either increased receptor selectivity or increased tissue or gene selectivity to reduce side effects. The search for these molecules will yield new therapeutics as well as new insights into the mechanism of action of these receptors and their ligands.

High constitutive glucocorticoid receptor beta in human neutrophils enables them to reduce their spontaneous rate of cell death in response to corticosteroids

Neutrophils are markedly less sensitive to glucocorticoids than T cells, making it difficult to control inflammation in neutrophil-mediated diseases. Development of new antiinflammatory strategies for such diseases would be aided by an understanding of mechanisms underlying differential steroid responsiveness. Two protein isoforms of the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR) exist, GRalpha and GRbeta, which arise from alternative splicing of the GR pre-mRNA primary transcripts. GRbeta does not bind glucocorticoids and is an inhibitor of GRalpha activity. Relative amounts of these two GRs can therefore determine the level of glucocorticoid sensitivity. In this study, human neutrophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were studied to determine the relative amounts of each GR isoform. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) using immunofluorescence analysis for GRalpha was 475 +/- 62 and 985 +/- 107 for PBMCs and neutrophils, respectively. For GRbeta, the MFI was 350 +/- 60 and 1,389 +/- 143 for PBMCs and neutrophils, respectively (P < 0.05). After interleukin (IL)-8 stimulation of neutrophils, there was a statistically significant increase in intensity of GRbeta staining to 2,497 +/- 140 (P < 0.05). No change in GRalpha expression was observed. This inversion of the GRalpha/GRbeta ratio in human neutrophils compared with PBMCs was confirmed by quantitative Western analysis. Increased GRbeta mRNA expression in neutrophils at baseline, and after IL-8 exposure, was observed using RNA dot blot analysis. Increased levels of GRalpha/GRbeta heterodimers were found in neutrophils as compared with PBMCs using coimmunoprecipitation/Western analysis. Transfection of mouse neutrophils, which do not contain GRbeta, resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of cell death when treated with dexamethasone.We conclude that high constitutive expression of GRbeta by human neutrophils may provide a mechanism by which these cells escape glucocorticoid-induced cell death. Moreover, upregulation of this GR by proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 further enhances their survival in the presence of glucocorticoids during inflammation.

Multiple aspects of mineralocorticoid selectivity

Aldosterone regulates renal sodium reabsorption through binding to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). Because the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is expressed together with the MR in aldosterone target cells, glucocorticoid hormones bound to GR may also intervene to modulate physiological functions in these cells. In addition, each steroid can bind both receptors, and the MR has equal affinity for aldosterone and glucocorticoid hormones. Several cellular and molecular mechanisms intervene to allow specific aldosterone regulatory effects, despite the large prevalence of glucocorticoid hormones in the plasma. They include the local metabolism of the glucocorticoid hormones into inactive derivatives by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; the intrinsic properties of the MR that discriminate between ligands through differential contacts; the possibility of forming homo- or heterodimers between MR and GR, leading to differential transactivation properties; and the interactions of MR and GR with other regulatory transcription factors. The relative contribution of each of these successive mechanisms may vary among aldosterone target cells (epithelial vs. nonepithelial) and according to the hormonal context. All these phenomena allow fine tuning of cellular functions depending on the degree of cooperation between corticosteroid hormones and other factors (hormonal or tissue specific). Such interactions may be altered in pathophysiological situations.

The Hsp organizer protein hop enhances the rate of but is not essential for glucocorticoid receptor folding by the multiprotein Hsp90-based chaperone system

A system consisting of five purified proteins: Hsp90, Hsp70, Hop, Hsp40, and p23, acts as a machinery for assembly of glucocorticoid receptor (GR).Hsp90 heterocomplexes. Hop binds independently to Hsp90 and to Hsp70 to form a Hsp90.Hop.Hsp70.Hsp40 complex that is sufficient to convert the GR to its steroid binding form, and this four-protein complex will form stable GR.Hsp90 heterocomplexes if p23 is added to the system (Dittmar, K. D., Banach, M., Galigniana, M. D., and Pratt, W. B. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 7358-7366). Hop has been considered essential for the formation of receptor.Hsp90 heterocomplexes and GR folding. Here we use Hsp90 and Hsp70 purified free of all traces of Hop and Hsp40 to show that Hop is not required for GR.Hsp90 heterocomplex assembly and activation of steroid binding activity. Rather, Hop enhances the rate of the process. We also show that Hsp40 is not essential for GR folding by the five-protein system but enhances a process that occurs less effectively when it is not present. By carrying out assembly in the presence of radiolabeled steroid to bind to the GR as soon as it is converted to the steroid binding state, we show that the folding change is brought about by only two essential components, Hsp90 and Hsp70, and that Hop, Hsp40, and p23 act as nonessential co-chaperones.

Specific hydroxylations determine selective corticosteroid recognition by human glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors

The ligand binding domains of the human mineralocorticoid receptor (hMR) and glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) display a high sequence homology. Aldosterone and cortisol, the major mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid hormones, are very closely related, leading to the cross-binding of these hormones to both receptors. The present study reports on the mechanism by which hMR and hGR are activated preferentially by their cognate hormones. We found that the ability of corticosteroids to stimulate the receptor's transactivation function is depending on the stability of the steroid-receptor complexes. In the light of a hMR structural model we propose that contacts through the corticosteroid C21 hydroxyl group are sufficient to stabilize hMR but not hGR and that additional contacts through the C11- and C17-hydroxyl groups are required for hGR.

Functional analysis of R651 mutations in the putative helix 6 of rat glucocorticoid receptors

Trypsin digestion of steroid-free, but not steroid-bound, rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has recently been reported to occur at arginine-651 (R651). This residue is close to the affinity labeled Cys-656 and thus could be a sensitive probe of steroid binding. This hypothesis is supported by the current model of the GR ligand binding domain (LBD), which is based on the X-ray structures of several related receptor LBDs and places R651 in the middle of the putative alpha-helix 6 (649-EQRMS-653 of rat GR), close to the bound steroid. To test this model, R651, which could be involved in hydrophilic and/or hydrogen bonding, was mutated to alanine (A), which favors alpha-helices, the helix breakers proline (P) and glycine (G), or tryptophan (W). All receptors were expressed at about the same level, as determined by Western blots, but the cell-free binding activity of R651P was reduced twofold. The cell-free binding affinities were all within a factor of 10 of wild type receptors. Whole cell biological activity with transiently transfected receptors was determined with a variety of GR agonists (dexamethasone and deacylcortivazol) or antagonists (dexamethasone mesylate, RU486, and progesterone). Reporters containing both simple (GRE) and complex (MMTV) enhancers were used to test for alterations in GR interactions with enhancer/promoter complexes. Surprisingly, no correlation was observed between biological activity and ability to preserve alpha-helical structures for each point mutation. Finally, similar trypsin digestion patterns indicated no major differences in the tertiary structure of the mutant receptors. Collectively, these results argue that the polar/ionizable residue R651 is not required for GR activity and is not part of an alpha-helix in the steroid-free or bound GR. The effect of these mutations on GR structure and activity may result from a cascade of initially smaller perturbations. These LBD alterations were the most varied for interactions with deacylcortivazol and RU 486, which have recently been predicted to be sub-optimal binders due to their large size. However, further analyses of ligand size versus affinity suggest that there is no narrowly defined optimal size for ligand binding, although larger ligands may be more sensitive to modifications of LBD structure. Finally, the changes in GR activity with the various mutations seem to result from altered LBD interactions with common, as opposed to enhancer specific, transcription factors.

The seven amino acids (547-553) of rat glucocorticoid receptor required for steroid and hsp90 binding contain a functionally independent LXXLL motif that is critical for steroid binding

Hsp90 association with glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) is required for steroid binding. We recently reported that seven amino acids (547-553) overlapping the amino-terminal end of the rat GR ligand-binding domain are necessary for hsp90 binding, and consequently steroid binding. The role of a LXXLL motif at the COOH terminus of this sequence has now been analyzed by determining the properties of Leu to Ser mutations in full-length GR and glutathione S-transferase chimeras. Surprisingly, these mutations decreased steroid binding capacity without altering receptor levels, steroid binding affinity, or hsp90 binding. Single mutations in the context of the full-length receptor did not affect the transcriptional activity but the double mutant (L550S/L553S) was virtually inactive. This biological inactivity was found to be due to an increased rate of steroid dissociation from the activated mutant complex. These results, coupled with those from trypsin digestion studies, suggest a model in which the GR ligand-binding domain is viewed as having a "hinged pocket," with the hinge being in the region of the trypsin digestion site at Arg(651). The pocket would normally be kept shut via the intramolecular interactions of the LXXLL motif at amino acids 550-554 acting as a hydrophobic clasp.

Opposing effects of corepressor and coactivators in determining the dose-response curve of agonists, and residual agonist activity of antagonists, for glucocorticoid receptor-regulated gene expression

A distinguishing, but unexplained, characteristic of steroid hormone action is the dose-response curve for the regulation of gene expression. We have previously reported that the dose-response curve for glucocorticoid induction of a transfected reporter gene in CV-1 and HeLa cells is repositioned in the presence of increasing concentrations of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). This behavior is now shown to be independent of the reporter, promoter, or enhancer, consistent with our proposal that a transacting factor(s) was being titrated by added receptors. Candidate factors have been identified by the observation that changes in glucocorticoid induction parameters in CV-1 cells could be reproduced by varying the cellular levels of coactivators [transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2), steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC-1), and amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1)], comodulator [CREB-binding protein (CBP)], or corepressor [silencing mediator for retinoid and thyroid-hormone receptors (SMRT)] without concomitant increases in GR. Significantly, the effects of TIF2 and SMRT were mutually antagonistic. Similarly, additional SMRT could reverse the action of increased levels of GRs in HeLa cells, thus indicating that the effects of cofactors on transcription may be general for GR in a variety of cells. These data further indicate that GRs are yet an additional target of the corepressor SMRT. At the same time, these cofactors were found to be capable of regulating the level of residual agonist activity displayed by antiglucocorticoids. Finally, these observations suggest that a novel role for cofactors is to participate in processes that determine the dose-response curve, and partial agonist activity, of GR-steroid complexes. This new activity of cofactors is disconnected from their ability to increase or decrease GR transactivation. An equilibrium model is proposed in which the ratio of coactivator-corepressor bound to either receptor-agonist or -antagonist complexes regulates the final transcriptional properties.

An RNA binding motif in the Cbp2 protein required for protein-stimulated RNA catalysis

The fifth and terminal intron of yeast cytochrome b pre-mRNA (a group I intron) requires a protein encoded by the nuclear gene CBP2 for splicing. Because catalysis is intrinsic to the RNA, the protein is believed to promote formation of secondary and tertiary structure of the RNA, resulting in a catalytically competent intron. In vitro, this mitochondrial intron can be made to self-splice or undergo protein-facilitated splicing by varying the Mg(2+) and monovalent salt concentrations. This two-component system, therefore, provides a good model for understanding the role of proteins in RNA folding. A UV cross-linking experiment was initiated to identify RNA binding sites on Cbp2 and gain insights into Cbp2-intron interactions. A 12-amino acid region containing a presumptive contact site near the amino terminus was targeted for mutagenesis, and mutant proteins were characterized for RNA binding and stimulation of splicing. Mutations in this region resulted in partial or complete loss of function, demonstrating the importance of this determinant for stimulation of RNA splicing. Several of the mutations that severely reduced splicing did not significantly shift the overall binding isotherm of Cbp2 for the precursor RNA, suggesting that contacts critical for activity are not necessarily reflected in the dissociation constant. This analysis has identified a unique RNA binding motif of alternating basic and aromatic residues that is essential for protein facilitated splicing.

Identification of ionizable amino acid residues on the extracellular domain of the lutropin receptor involved in ligand binding

The LH receptor (LHR) is a G protein-coupled receptor characterized by a relatively large N-terminal extracellular domain responsible for high affinity ligand binding. Based on a model proposed for a major portion of the extracellular domain that contains a number of leucine-rich repeats, nine ionizable amino acid residues (Glu57, Glu80, Lys158, Glu181, Lys183, Glu184, Glu188, Lys190, and Asp206) were selected for charge reversal mutagenesis based on their locations in the proposed model and their potential to serve as ligand contact sites. Mutant LHR complementary DNAs were transiently transfected into COS-7 cells, and the expressed receptors were characterized by Western blot analysis, competitive ligand (hCG) binding, and ligand-mediated cAMP production. The most interesting mutants were K158E, K183E, E184K, and D206K, which were present on the plasma membrane fraction, as judged by Western blots, but were incapable of binding hCG and, of course, were deficient in hCG-mediated cAMP production. Other replacements at these positions, K158R,Q,G; K183R,Q,G; E184N; and D206E,Q, led to cell surface binding and signaling. The mutants E57K, E189K, and K190E behaved similarly to wild-type LHR; E80K was trapped intracellularly, but bound ligand in solubilized cells; and E181K was not expressed or was rapidly degraded. These results, based on 18 point mutants of LHR, indicate that Lys158, Lys183, Glu184, and Asp206 are involved, either directly or indirectly, in gonadotropin binding and support the general nature of the proposed model.

Steroid-induced conformational changes of rat glucocorticoid receptor cause altered trypsin cleavage of the putative helix 6 in the ligand binding domain

Steroid-induced changes in receptor protein conformation constitute a logical means of translating the variations in steroid structures into the observed array of whole cell biological activities. One conformational change in the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) can be readily discerned by following the ability of trypsin digestion to afford a 16-kDa fragment. This fragment is seen after proteolysis of steroid-free receptors but disappears in digests of either glucocorticoid- or antiglucocorticoid-bound receptors. The location of this cleavage site has now been located unambiguously as R651, in helix 6 of the ligand binding domain, by a combination of point mutagenesis, arginine specific protease digestion, and radiochemical sequencing. This 16-kDa species, corresponding to amino acids 652-795, was non-covalently associated with another, approximately 17-kDa species that was determined to be amino acids 518-651 after a comparison of co-immunoprecipitated fragments from wild type and two chimeric receptors. These assignments revise our earlier report of amino acids 537-673 being the 16-kDa fragment and suggest that sequences of the entire ligand binding domain are required for high affinity and specificity binding. This was supported by the observation that trypsin digestion of the steroid-free R651A mutant GR gave rise to the 30-kDa meroreceptor (amino acids 518-795), which displayed wild type affinity. This 30-kDa species is thus the smallest non-associated fragment of GR possessing wild type steroid binding affinity. This suggests that other GR regions do not influence steroid binding affinity. The above results are reminiscent of those observed for the estrogen receptor. However, unlike the estrogen receptor or the more closely related progesterone receptor, the precise proteolytic cleavage points of both the steroid-free and -bound GR fall within regions that are predicted, on the basis of X-ray crystal structures of related receptors, to be alpha-helical and resistant to proteolysis. Thus, the tertiary structure of the GR ligand binding domain may be distinctly different from that of estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Ubc9 interacts with the androgen receptor and activates receptor-dependent transcription

Ubc9, a homologue of the class E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes, has recently been shown to catalyze conjugation of a small ubiquitin-like molecule-1 (SUMO-1) to a variety of target proteins. SUMO-1 modifications have been implicated in the targeting of proteins to the nuclear envelope and certain intranuclear structures and in converting proteins resistant to ubiquitin-mediated degradation. In the present work, we find that Ubc9 interacts with the androgen receptor (AR), a member of the steroid receptor family of ligand-activated transcription factors. In transiently transfected COS-1 cells, AR-dependent but not basal transcription is enhanced by the coexpression of Ubc9. The N-terminal half of the AR hinge region containing the C-terminal part of the bipartite nuclear localization signal is essential for the interaction with Ubc9. Deletion of this part of the nuclear localization signal, which does not completely prevent the transfer of AR to the nucleus, abolishes the AR-Ubc9 interaction and attenuates the transcriptional response to cotransfected Ubc9. The C93S substitution of Ubc9, which prevents SUMO-1 conjugation by abrogating the formation of a thiolester bond between SUMO-1 and Ubc9, does not influence the capability of Ubc9 to stimulate AR-dependent transactivation, implying that Ubc9 is able to act as an AR coregulator in a fashion independent of its ability to catalyze SUMO-1 conjugation.

Conformational change in the human glucocorticoid receptor induced by ligand binding is altered by mutation of isoleucine 747 by a threonine

Limited proteolysis experiments were performed to study conformation changes induced by ligand binding on in vitro produced wild-type and I747T mutant glucocorticoid receptors. Dexamethasone-induced conformational changes were characterized by two resistant proteolysis fragments of 30 and 27 kDa. Although dexamethasone binding affinity was only slightly altered by the I747T substitution (Roux, S., Térouanne, B., Balaguer, P., Loffreda-Jausons, N., Pons, M., Chambon, P., Gronemeyer, H., and Nicolas, J.-C. (1996) Mol. Endocrinol. 10, 1214-1226), higher dexamethasone concentrations were required to obtain the same proteolysis pattern. This difference was less marked when proteolysis experiments were conducted at 0 degrees C, indicating that a step of the conformational change after ligand binding was affected by the mutation. In contrast, RU486 binding to the wild-type receptor induced a different conformational change that was not affected by the mutation. Analysis of proteolysis fragments obtained in the presence of dexamethasone or RU486 indicated that the RU486-induced conformational change affected the C-terminal part of the ligand binding domain differently. These data suggest that the ligand-induced conformational change occurs via a multistep process. In the first step, characterized by compaction of the ligand binding domain, the mutation has no effect. The second step, which stabilizes the activated conformation and does not occur at 4 degrees C, seems to be a key element in the activation process that can be altered by the mutation. This step could involve modification of the helix H12 position, explaining why the conformation induced by RU486 is not affected by the mutation.

Quantity of partial agonist activity for antiglucocorticoids complexed with mutant glucocorticoid receptors is constant in two different transactivation assays but not predictable from steroid structure

An unsolved question in steroid hormone action is why the amount of agonist activity displayed by antisteroids is not constant but varies with the assay conditions. Receptor mutations have provided insight into hormone action, presumably due to changes in the tertiary structure of the receptor that alter its interaction surfaces with the transcriptional machinery or/and co-factors. We have now employed two mechanistically different induction assays to determine whether disparate transactivation processes are similarly altered by receptor mutations. The two activation assays studied were (i) the standard induction of GREtkLUC in transiently transfected CV-1 cells and (ii) a novel modulation of endogenous receptor activity by transiently transfected receptors in HeLa cells. Five different mutations in the ligand binding and DNA binding domains of the rat glucocorticoid receptor (CS1, CS1/CD, 451/9, C656G, and R732Q) and seven steroids of varied structures (five antagonists and two agonists) were selected for use. The results in both induction assays were the same. However, no generalizations regarding steroid structure and activity emerged. Neither of two potent glucocorticoids were active with GR-CS1, or GR-CS1/CD, while RU 486 was the only antisteroid with appreciable agonist activity. With the GR-451/9 mutant, three antagonists afforded partial agonist activity. We confirmed that the C656G mutant is both "super-sensitive" and "super-selective" for transactivation. In contrast, the R732Q mutation caused significant decreases in activity with both antagonists and subsaturating concentrations of agonists. This inability to generalize about the behavior of any class of steroids with mutant receptors may reflect an induced fit for each receptor steroid complex. Nevertheless, the activity of a given steroid appeared to be constant in two different transactivation assays for a given mutant receptor. Thus, disparate transactivation processes may utilize identical receptor surfaces, even in the expression of partial agonist activity for specific antiglucocorticoids.

Neuronal nitric-oxide synthase is regulated by the Hsp90-based chaperone system in vivo

It is established that the multiprotein heat shock protein 90 (hsp90)-based chaperone system acts on the ligand binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to form a GR.hsp90 heterocomplex and to convert the receptor ligand binding domain to the steroid-binding state. Treatment of cells with the hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin inactivates steroid binding activity and increases the rate of GR turnover. We show here that a portion of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) exists as a molybdate-stabilized nNOS. hsp90 heterocomplex in the cytosolic fraction of human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably transfected with rat nNOS. Treatment of human embryonic kidney 293 cells with geldanamycin both decreases nNOS catalytic activity and increases the rate of nNOS turnover. Similarly, geldanamycin treatment of nNOS-expressing Sf9 cells partially inhibits nNOS activation by exogenous heme. Like the GR, purified heme-free apo-nNOS is activated by the DE52-retained fraction of rabbit reticulocyte lysate, which also assembles nNOS. hsp90 heterocomplexes. However, in contrast to the GR, heterocomplex assembly with hsp90 is not required for increased heme binding and nNOS activation in this cell-free system. We propose that, in vivo, where access by free heme is limited, the complete hsp90-based chaperone machinery is required for sustained opening of the heme binding cleft and nNOS activation, but in the heme-containing cell-free nNOS-activating system transient opening of the heme binding cleft without hsp90 is sufficient to facilitate heme binding.