Turning a negative into a positive: vitamin D receptor interactions with the avian parathyroid hormone response element

Genomically anchored vitamin D receptor mediates an abundance of bioprotective actions elicited by its 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D hormonal ligand

The nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates the actions of its physiologic 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D) ligand produced in kidney and at extrarenal sites during times of physiologic and cellular stress. The ligand-receptor complex transcriptionally controls genes encoding factors that regulate calcium and phosphate sensing/transport, bone remodeling, immune function, and nervous system maintenance. With the aid of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), 1,25D/VDR primarily participates in an intricate network of feedback controls that govern extracellular calcium and phosphate concentrations, mainly influencing bone formation and mineralization, ectopic calcification, and indirectly supporting many fundamental roles of calcium. Beyond endocrine and intracrine effects, 1,25D/VDR signaling impacts multiple biochemical phenomena that potentially affect human health and disease, including autophagy, carcinogenesis, cell growth/differentiation, detoxification, metabolic homeostasis, and oxidative stress mitigation. Several health advantages conferred by 1,25D/VDR appear to be promulgated by induction of klotho, an anti-aging renal peptide hormone which functions as a co-receptor for FGF23 and, like 1,25D, regulates nrf2, foxo, mTOR and other cellular protective pathways. Among hundreds of genes for which expression is modulated by 1,25D/VDR either primarily or secondarily in a cell-specific manner, the resulting gene products (in addition to those expressed in the classic skeletal mineral regulatory tissues kidney, intestine, and bone), fall into multiple biochemical categories including apoptosis, cholesterol homeostasis, glycolysis, hypoxia, inflammation, p53 signaling, unfolded protein response and xenobiotic metabolism. Thus, 1,25D/VDR is a bone mineral control instrument that also signals the maintenance of multiple cellular processes in the face of environmental and genetic challenges.

Interaction of Vitamin D with Peptide Hormones with Emphasis on Parathyroid Hormone, FGF23, and the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System

The seminal discoveries that parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) are major endocrine regulators of vitamin D metabolism led to a significant improvement in our understanding of the pivotal roles of peptide hormones and small proteohormones in the crosstalk between different organs, regulating vitamin D metabolism. The interaction of vitamin D, FGF23 and PTH in the kidney is essential for maintaining mineral homeostasis. The proteohormone FGF23 is mainly secreted from osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the bone. FGF23 acts on proximal renal tubules to decrease production of the active form of vitamin D (1,25(OH)₂D) by downregulating transcription of 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), and by activating transcription of the key enzyme responsible for vitamin D degradation, 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1). Conversely, the peptide hormone PTH stimulates 1,25(OH)₂D renal production by upregulating the expression of 1α-hydroxylase and downregulating that of 24-hydroxylase. The circulating concentration of 1,25(OH)₂D is a positive regulator of FGF23 secretion in the bone, and a negative regulator of PTH secretion from the parathyroid gland, forming feedback loops between kidney and bone, and between kidney and parathyroid gland, respectively. In recent years, it has become clear that vitamin D signaling has important functions beyond mineral metabolism. Observation of seasonal variations in blood pressure and the subsequent identification of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and 1α-hydroxylase in non-renal tissues such as cardiomyocytes, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, suggested that vitamin D may play a role in maintaining cardiovascular health. Indeed, observational studies in humans have found an association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure, and experimental studies provided strong evidence for a role of vitamin D signaling in the regulation of cardiovascular function. One of the proposed mechanisms of action of vitamin D is that it functions as a negative regulator of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). This finding established a novel link between vitamin D and RAAS that was unexplored until then. During recent years, major progress has been made towards a more complete understanding of the mechanisms by which FGF23, PTH, and RAAS regulate vitamin D metabolism, especially at the genomic level. However, there are still major gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled by future research. The purpose of this review is to highlight our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between vitamin D, FGF23, PTH, and RAAS, and to discuss the role of these mechanisms in physiology and pathophysiology.

Vitamin D hormone regulates serotonin synthesis. Part 1: relevance for autism

Serotonin and vitamin D have been proposed to play a role in autism; however, no causal mechanism has been established. Here, we present evidence that vitamin D hormone (calcitriol) activates the transcription of the serotonin-synthesizing gene tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) in the brain at a vitamin D response element (VDRE) and represses the transcription of TPH1 in tissues outside the blood-brain barrier at a distinct VDRE. The proposed mechanism explains 4 major characteristics associated with autism: the low concentrations of serotonin in the brain and its elevated concentrations in tissues outside the blood-brain barrier; the low concentrations of the vitamin D hormone precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D3]; the high male prevalence of autism; and the presence of maternal antibodies against fetal brain tissue. Two peptide hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, are also associated with autism and genes encoding the oxytocin-neurophysin I preproprotein, the oxytocin receptor, and the arginine vasopressin receptor contain VDREs for activation. Supplementation with vitamin D and tryptophan is a practical and affordable solution to help prevent autism and possibly ameliorate some symptoms of the disorder.

The nuclear vitamin D receptor controls the expression of genes encoding factors which feed the "Fountain of Youth" to mediate healthful aging

The nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) binds 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D), its high affinity renal endocrine ligand, to signal intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption plus bone remodeling, generating a mineralized skeleton free of rickets/osteomalacia with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures. 1,25D/VDR signaling regulates the expression of TRPV6, BGP, SPP1, LRP5, RANKL and OPG, while achieving feedback control of mineral ions to prevent age-related ectopic calcification by governing CYP24A1, PTH, FGF23, PHEX, and klotho transcription. Vitamin D also elicits numerous intracrine actions when circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, the metabolite reflecting vitamin D status, is converted to 1,25D locally by extrarenal CYP27B1, and binds VDR to promote immunoregulation, antimicrobial defense, xenobiotic detoxification, anti-inflammatory/anticancer actions and cardiovascular benefits. VDR also affects Wnt signaling through direct interaction with beta-catenin, ligand-dependently blunting beta-catenin mediated transcription in colon cancer cells to attenuate growth, while potentiating beta-catenin signaling via VDR ligand-independent mechanisms in osteoblasts and keratinocytes to function osteogenically and as a pro-hair cycling receptor, respectively. Finally, VDR also drives the mammalian hair cycle in conjunction with the hairless corepressor by repressing SOSTDC1, S100A8/S100A9, and PTHrP. Hair provides a shield against UV-induced skin damage and cancer in terrestrial mammals, illuminating another function of VDR that facilitates healthful aging.

Retinoic acid receptor gamma 2 interactions with vitamin D response elements

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) typically binds DNA in a heterodimer complex with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) to direct repeat sequences separated by three base pairs, or vitamin D response elements (VDREs). A modified yeast one-hybrid screen was utilized to search for partner proteins capable of associating with the VDR on a repressor VDRE. Screening of a HeLa cell cDNA library revealed that retinoic acid receptor gamma 2 (RARgamma2) could specifically interact with VDREs, either in the presence or absence of the VDR. Importantly, the A-domain of RARgamma2 appeared to be crucial for this interaction as evidenced by the inability of RARgamma1 to affect reporter gene activity. Transfection data in COS-7 cells revealed the combination of both receptor ligands strongly attenuated transcriptional activation from an enhancer VDRE when RARgamma2 was co-transfected into these cells with the VDR. Furthermore, a VDR/RARgamma2 complex was detected in the mobility shift assay from nuclear extracts of transfected cells. Thus, the data highlight the novel ability of RARgamma2 to interact with VDREs and impact vitamin D activity, which would allow for additional fine-tuning of a transcriptional response depending on ligand availability and expression profile of these nuclear receptors in a given cell type.

Nuclear receptors: a rendezvous for chromatin remodeling factors

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a large family of ligand-induced transcription factors that include the vitamin D receptor. The recent discovery of WINAC, a novel ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex, has shed new light on the molecular mechanisms by which the vitamin D receptor controls gene expression with unexpected clinical implications.

Heterodimer requirement for gene regulation by Vitamin D in variant OK cells

OK cells are a transformed cell line derived from opossum kidney proximal tubule cells. Prior studies have utilized this cell line to study both positive and negative transcriptional responses to Vitamin D. However, there was a noticeable decrease in sensitivity on the part of these cells to respond to Vitamin D treatment in transfection assays, particularly when assessing transcriptional activity from a heterologous promoter construct that used the chicken parathyroid hormone (cPTH) repressor Vitamin D response element (VDRE). Western blotting revealed the apparently diminished expression of both the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) together with its heterodimeric DNA-binding partner, the retinoid X receptor (RXR), in these cellular extracts. Co-transfection of either a VDR or RXR expression vector alone had little effect on hormone-dependent enhancer transcriptional activity from the human osteocalcin (hOC) reporter construct, or the degree of repression from the cPTH construct. Indeed, significant effects on repressor or enhancer activity were only observed in these cells when expression vectors for both the VDR and RXR were simultaneously introduced into the cells via transfection experiments. Analogous results were obtained irrespective of the identity of RXR isoform; co-transfection of either RXRalpha or RXRbeta expression vectors together with the VDR-produced similar improvements in repressor activity. Titration of Vitamin D hormone under conditions of co-expression of the two receptors indicated that half-maximal responses were comparable for both VDREs and occurred at <1nM concentration. In summary, these results are consistent with prior in vitro studies indicating interaction of the VDR with these VDREs occurs as a heterodimer complex with RXR. The decreased expression of both heterodimer partners observed in these cells could explain the requirement for additional VDR/RXR expression, in particular in order to compensate for the reportedly lower binding affinity of the heterodimer with the repressor cPTH VDRE. The extent of expression of both heterodimer partners, therefore, may act to modulate the available responses to Vitamin D in target cells.

Characterization of a novel hexameric repeat DNA sequence in the promoter of the immediate early gene, IEX-1, that mediates 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)-associated IEX-1 gene repression

1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D(3)(1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)), the active metabolite of vitamin D(3), mediates anti-proliferative effects in cells by regulating the expression of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-responsive genes. The expression of the proliferation-promoting Immediate Early gene X-1 (IEX-1) is reduced by 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) through unknown mechanisms. Here we report the presence of a novel inhibitory hexameric repeat DNA response element in the promoter of the human IEX-1 gene that mediates 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-associated IEX-1 gene repression. To localize a vitamin D sensitive DNA response element we transfected the keratinocyte-like cell line, HaCaT, (referred as HaCaT) with a series of plasmids containing full-length and truncated IEX-1 promoter elements fused to the luciferase reporter gene in the absence or presence of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3), and we performed electrophoretic gel mobility assays in the presence of receptors for 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) (vitamin D receptor, VDR) and 9-cis-retinoic acid (RXRalpha). We mapped a negative response element between nt -405 and -391(15 bp) of theIEX-1 promoter (5'-TGAACC AGG GAGTCA-3') that mediates transcriptional inhibition in response to 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) and which requires expression of both nuclear receptors for 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) and 9-cis-retinoic acid. Our data indicate that the physiological repression of IEX-1 gene expression by 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) is directly mediated by nuclear VDR/RXRalpha heterodimers through a specific transcriptional element.

A central dinucleotide within vitamin D response elements modulates DNA binding and transactivation by the vitamin D receptor in cellular response to natural and synthetic ligands

There is considerable divergence in the sequences of steroid receptor response elements, including the vitamin D response elements (VDREs). Two major VDRE-containing and thus 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25-(OH)(2)D(3))-regulated genes are the two non-collagenous, osteoblast-derived bone matrix proteins osteocalcin and osteopontin. We observed a stronger induction of osteopontin than osteocalcin mRNA expression by 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3). Subsequently, we have shown that vitamin D receptor/retinoid X receptor alpha (VDR/RXRalpha) heterodimers bind more tightly to the osteopontin VDRE than to the osteocalcin VDRE. Studies using point mutants revealed that the internal dinucleotide at positions 3 and 4 of the proximal steroid half-element are most important for modulating the strength of receptor binding. In addition, studies with VDRE-driven luciferase reporter gene constructs revealed that the central dinucleotide influences the transactivation potential of VDR/RXRalpha with the same order of magnitude as that observed in the DNA binding studies. The synthetic vitamin D analog KH1060 is a more potent stimulator of transcription and inducer of VDRE binding of VDR/RXR in the presence of nuclear factors isolated from ROS 17/2.8 osteoblast-like cells than the natural ligand 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3). Interestingly, however, KH1060 is comparable or even less potent than 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) in stimulating VDRE binding of in vitro synthesized VDR/RXRalpha. Thus, the extent of 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3)- and KH1060-dependent binding of VDR/RXRalpha is specified by a central dinucleotide in the VDRE, and the ligand-induced effects on DNA binding are in part controlled by the cellular context of nuclear proteins.

Mutations in the glucocorticoid receptor DNA-binding domain mimic an allosteric effect of DNA

Two previously isolated mutations in the glucocorticoid receptor DNA-binding domain (DBD), S459A and P493R, have been postulated to mimic DNA-induced conformational changes in the glucocorticoid receptor DBD, thereby constitutively triggering an allosteric mechanism in which binding of specific DNA normally induces the exposure of otherwise silent glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional activation surfaces. Here we report the three-dimensional structure of the free S459A and P493R mutant DBDs as determined by NMR spectroscopy. The free S459A and P493R structures both display the conformational changes in the DBD dimerization interface that are characteristic of the DNA-bound wild-type DBD, confirming that these mutations mimic an allosteric effect of DNA. A transition between two packing arrangements of the DBD hydrophobic core provides a mechanism for long-range transmission of conformational changes, induced either by the mutations or by DNA binding, to protein-protein contact surfaces.

Identification of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1alpha-hydroxylase gene expression in macrophages

BACKGROUND

The 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1alpha-hydroxylase (1alpha-hydroxylase) is almost exclusively expressed in the kidney. However, 1alpha-hydroxylase activities have been observed in some extrarenal tissues, including inflammatory cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. In sarcoidosis, macrophage 1alpha-hydroxylase causes overproduction of 1,25-(OH)2D3, resulting in hypercalcemia. In this study, we investigated the regulation of macrophage 1alpha-hydroxylase at a molecular level.

METHODS

We used the human monocytic cell line THP-1, which can be differentiated into macrophage-like cells by treatment with phorbol ester. The expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase in THP-1 cells was examined by Northern blotting and immunoblotting using an antibody raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 14 C-terminal amino acids of 1alpha-hydroxylase. We investigated the regulation of 1alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression by RNase protection assay.

RESULTS

Northern blot and immunoblot analyses confirmed the expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase in THP-1 cells at the mRNA and protein levels. Although parathyroid hormone and calcitonin, known stimulators of renal 1alpha-hydroxylase, did not affect the expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase mRNA, 8-Br-cAMP (5 x 10-4 mol/L) increased the expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase mRNA in THP-1 cells (198 +/- 9%). 1,25-(OH)2D3, known as a suppressor of renal 1alpha-hydroxylase, did not affect the expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase mRNA. By contrast, 1,25-(OH)2D3 markedly increased the expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 24-hydroxylase mRNA. Interferon-gamma (2000 IU/mL) increased the expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase mRNA in differentiated THP-1 cells (922 +/- 25%).

CONCLUSIONS

The present results suggest that 1alpha-hydroxylase activity in macrophages is mediated by the same enzyme as in kidney. Interferon-gamma treatment increases macrophage 1alpha-hydroxylase levels via directly increasing gene expression of this enzyme.

Vitamin D receptor interactions with the rat parathyroid hormone gene: synergistic effects between two negative vitamin D response elements

Vitamin D response elements (VDREs) that are required for negative regulation of rat parathyroid hormone (rPTH) gene expression have been characterized. Gel mobility shift assays using DNA restriction enzyme fragments and recombinant proteins for vitamin D and retinoic acid X receptors (VDR/RXR) revealed a sequence between -793 and -779 that bound a VDR/RXR heterodimer with high affinity (VDRE1). Furthermore, a lower affinity site (VDRE2) was detected that acted in combination with VDRE1 to bind a second VDR/RXR complex. As determined by ethylation interference analysis, the nucleotide sequence of VDRE1 consisted of GGTTCA GTG AGGTAC, which is remarkably similar to the sequence of the negative VDRE found in the chicken PTH (cPTH) gene. Using the same technique, VDRE2 was identified between positions -760 and -746 and contained the sequence AGGCTA GCC AGTTCA. Functional analysis was determined by transfection studies with plasmid constructs that expressed the gene for chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT). The ability of the VDREs to regulate gene expression was tested in their native context with the rPTH promoter as well as when positioned immediately upstream from the cPTH promoter. With either plasmid construct, exposure to 10(-8)M 1,25(OH)2D3 resulted in a 60-70% decrease in CAT gene expression when both VDRE1 and VDRE2 were present. Examination of the individual VDREs showed that inhibition by 10(-8) M 1,25(OH)2D3 was only 35-40% when just VDRE1 was present. By itself, VDRE2 was even less effective, as significant inhibition of CAT activity (20%) was observed only in the presence of higher concentrations of 1, 25(OH)2D3 (10(-7)M) or when a plasmid vector that overexpressed the VDR protein was cotransfected. In conclusion, the rPTH gene contains two negative VDREs that act in concert to bind two RXR/VDR heterodimer complexes and that both VDREs are required for maximal inhibition by 1,25(OH)2D3.