Nuclear Receptor Corepressor Research Articles

Circadian Epigenomic Remodeling and Hepatic Lipogenesis: Lessons from HDAC3

Circadian rhythms have evolved to anticipate metabolic needs across the 24-h light/dark cycle. This is accomplished by circadian expression of metabolic genes orchestrated by transcription factors through chromatin remodeling and histone modifications. Our recent genome-wide study on histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) in mouse liver provides novel insights into the molecular link between circadian rhythm and hepatic de novo lipogenesis. We found that liver-specific knockout of HDAC3 in adult mouse displays severe hepatic steatosis associated with enhanced de novo lipogenesis and increased expression of lipogenic genes. Genome-wide analysis (ChIP-seq) revealed a pronounced circadian pattern of HDAC3 occupancy on genes involved in lipid metabolism, which is inversely related to histone acetylation and RNA polymerase II recruitment at these sites. The cistromes of HDAC3 and its binding partner, nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR), significantly overlap with that of Rev-erbα, a nuclear receptor directly involved in the core circadian machinery. Knockout of Rev-erbα in mouse also leads to hepatic steatosis and enhanced de novo lipogenesis. Collectively, these data suggest that the circadian epigenomic remodeling controlled by HDAC3, and largely directed by Rev-erbα, is essential for homeostasis of the lipogenic process in liver.

Histone Deacetylase 9 Activates γ-Globin Gene Expression in Primary Erythroid Cells

Strategies to induce fetal hemoglobin (HbF) synthesis for the treatment of β-hemoglobinopathies probably involve protein modifications by histone deacetylases (HDACs) that mediate γ-globin gene regulation. However, the role of individual HDACs in globin gene expression is not very well understood; thus, the focus of our study was to identify HDACs involved in γ-globin activation. K562 erythroleukemia cells treated with the HbF inducers hemin, trichostatin A, and sodium butyrate had significantly reduced mRNA levels of HDAC9 and its splice variant histone deacetylase-related protein. Subsequently, HDAC9 gene knockdown produced dose-dependent γ-globin gene silencing over an 80-320 nm range. Enforced expression with the pTarget-HDAC9 vector produced a dose-dependent 2.5-fold increase in γ-globin mRNA (p < 0.05). Furthermore, ChIP assays showed HDAC9 binding in vivo in the upstream Gγ-globin gene promoter region. To determine the physiological relevance of these findings, human primary erythroid progenitors were treated with HDAC9 siRNA; we observed 40 and 60% γ-globin gene silencing in day 11 (early) and day 28 (late) progenitors. Moreover, enforced HDAC9 expression increased γ-globin mRNA levels by 2.5-fold with a simultaneous 7-fold increase in HbF. Collectively, these data support a positive role for HDAC9 in γ-globin gene regulation.

The corepressor Alien as a novel tumor suppressor?

Alien has been characterized as a corepressor for nuclear hormone receptors that harbor a silencing domain such as the thyroid hormone receptor (TR), the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR) and DAX-1. In addition, the androgen receptor (AR), a steroid hormone receptor, interacts with Alien. Alien enhances gene silencing mediated by TR, VDR and DAX-1, whereas Alien inhibits AR-mediated transactivation. The inhibition of AR by Alien seems to be restricted to cases where AR is bound to AR antagonists. In line with this, Alien inhibits AR target gene expression and human prostate cancer cell proliferation in an antagonist-specific manner indicating that Alien has an inhibitory role for cell cycle progression. Alien mediates gene silencing by recruitment of histone deacetylase activity and interestingly through nucleo-some assembly activity. Hereby, Alien enhances nucleosome positioning mediated by nucleosome assembly protein 1, which suggests a novel molecular mechanism of corepressor function. Using a proteomic approach to identify Alien interacting partners, we detected the cell cycle factor E2F1 to bind to Alien in vivo. The E2F1-mediated transactivation and E2F target gene expression is inhibited by Alien, and in line with this Alien is observed to repress cell cycle progression.

Formation of AR-SMRT binding in prostate cancer cells treated with natural histone deacetylase inhibitor

Signaling through the androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in prostate cancer progression. The AR is a classical nuclear receptor (NR) providing a link between signaling molecule and transcription response. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACI) have antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on prostate cancer cells and their implication in silence AR signaling may have potential therapeutic use. We aimed to study the inhibitory effects of the corepressor SMRT (Silencing Mediator for Retinoid and Thyroid hormone receptors) which forms a complex together with nuclear receptor corepressor (N-CoR) and with histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) on AR activity. The androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cell line C4-2 both AR-positive, and androgen-insensitive DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cell lines were treated with two HDACIs, sodium butyrate (NaB) and/or trichostatin A (TSA). We amplified immunoprecipitated DNA by conventional PCR and in the following step we used the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis coupled with quantitative PCR for monitoring NaB induced formation of AR-SMRT/N-CoR complex binding on the PSA promoter. The co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed increase in AR-SMRT formation in NaB treated cells. Simultaneously, the Western blot analysis showed a significant decrease in AR protein expression. Furthermore, we estimated the reduced presence of HDAC2 and HDAC3 proteins by NaB and TSA treatment in AR-negative DU145 cell line. In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of NaB on AR gene expression seems to be specific and unique for prostate cancer AR-positive cell lines and corresponds with its ability to stimulate AR-SMRT complex formation. We suggest that AR and SMRT/N-CoR corepressors may form a stable complex in vitro and NaB may facilitate the interaction between AR nuclear steroid receptor and SMRT corepressor protein.

Expression of nuclear receptor corepressors and class I histone deacetylases in astrocytic gliomas

Transcriptional repressors such as nuclear receptor corepressors (NCORs) and class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) are considered potential therapeutic targets in various human malignancies. In astrocytic gliomas, however, there is still a need to understand the role of these transcriptional repressors in tumor proliferation, tumor differentiation, and patient survival. We immunohistochemically analyzed the expression of NCOR1 and 2 as well as HDAC1, 2, and 3 on a tissue microarray comprising tumor samples from 283 astrocytic gliomas and correlated the expression levels with tumor differentiation, tumor proliferation, and patient survival. Strong nuclear expression was found in glioma cells for HDAC1, HDAC2, and NCOR2. In contrast, weak expression of NCOR1 and HDAC3 was detected in the cytoplasm and nuclei of tumor cells. HDAC3 expression was inversely associated with tumor grade. Consequently, increased HDAC3 expression was associated with better patient survival in univariate regression. Expression of HDAC1 and HDAC2 increased during tumor recurrence and malignant tumor progression, respectively, whereas expression of the remaining antigens did not seem to depend on tumor grade and was comparable to expression levels found in non-neoplastic brain tissues. Finally, we detected a positive association between HDAC2 expression and tumor proliferation as well as between NCOR1 and expression of the stem cell-associated intermediate filament protein nestin. Our findings suggest that "classical" transcriptional repressors are expressed in astrocytic tumors and that the roles of HDAC2 and HDAC3 in these tumors deserve further investigation.

MTORC1 controls fasting-induced ketogenesis and its modulation by ageing

The multi-component mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase is the central node of a mammalian pathway that coordinates cell growth with the availability of nutrients, energy and growth factors. Progress has been made in the identification of mTORC1 pathway components and in understanding their functions in cells, but there is relatively little known about the role of the pathway in vivo. Specifically, we have little knowledge regarding the role mTOCR1 has in liver physiology. In fasted animals, the liver performs numerous functions that maintain whole-body homeostasis, including the production of ketone bodies for peripheral tissues to use as energy sources. Here we show that mTORC1 controls ketogenesis in mice in response to fasting. We find that liver-specific loss of TSC1 (tuberous sclerosis 1), an mTORC1 inhibitor, leads to a fasting-resistant increase in liver size, and to a pronounced defect in ketone body production and ketogenic gene expression on fasting. The loss of raptor (regulatory associated protein of mTOR, complex 1) an essential mTORC1 component, has the opposite effects. In addition, we find that the inhibition of mTORC1 is required for the fasting-induced activation of PPARα (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α), the master transcriptional activator of ketogenic genes, and that suppression of NCoR1 (nuclear receptor co-repressor 1), a co-repressor of PPARα, reactivates ketogenesis in cells and livers with hyperactive mTORC1 signalling. Like livers with activated mTORC1, livers from aged mice have a defect in ketogenesis, which correlates with an increase in mTORC1 signalling. Moreover, we show that the suppressive effects of mTORC1 activation and ageing on PPARα activity and ketone production are not additive, and that mTORC1 inhibition is sufficient to prevent the ageing-induced defect in ketogenesis. Thus, our findings reveal that mTORC1 is a key regulator of PPARα function and hepatic ketogenesis and suggest a role for mTORC1 activity in promoting the ageing of the liver.

Differential recruitment of nuclear receptor coregulators in ligand-dependent transcriptional repression by estrogen receptor-α

Estrogen receptors (ERs) are normally expressed in breast tissues and mediate hormonal functions during development and in female reproductive physiology. In the majority of breast cancers, ERs are involved in regulating tumor cell proliferation and serve as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in the management of hormone-dependent tumors. At the molecular level, ERs function as ligand-dependent transcription factors and activate target-gene expression following hormone stimulation. Recent transcriptomic and whole-genome-binding studies suggest, however, that ligand-activated ERs can also repress the expression of a significant subset of target genes. To characterize the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional repression by ERs, we examined recruitment of nuclear receptor coregulators, histone modifications and RNA polymerase II docking at ER-binding sites and cis-regulatory regions adjacent to repressed target genes. Moreover, we utilized gene expression data from patient samples to determine potential roles of repressed target genes in breast cancer biology. Results from these studies indicate that nuclear receptor corepressor recruitment is a key feature of ligand-dependent transcriptional repression by Ers, and some repressed target genes are associated with disease progression and response to endocrine therapy. These findings provide preliminary insights into a novel aspect of the molecular mechanisms of ER functions and their potential roles in hormonal carcinogenesis and breast cancer biology.

Changes in gene expression of DOR and other thyroid hormone receptors in rat liver during acute-phase response

Non-thyroidal illness is characterized by low tri-iodothyronine (T3) serum level under acute-phase conditions. We studied hepatic gene expression of the newly identified thyroid hormone receptor (TR) cofactor DOR/TP53INP2 together with TRs in a rat model of aseptic abscesses induced by injecting intramuscular turpentine-oil into each hind limb. A fast (4-6 h) decrease in the serum level of free thyroxine and free T3 was observed. By immunohistology, abundant DOR protein expression was detected in the nuclei of hepatocytes and ED-1+ (mononuclear phagocytes), CK-19+ (biliary cells), and SMA+ (mesenchymal cells of the portal tract) cells. DOR signal was reduced with a minimum at 6-12 h after the acute-phase reaction (APR). Immunohistology also showed a similar pattern of protein expression in TRα1 but without a significant change during APR. Transcripts specific for DOR, nuclear receptor co-repressor 1 (NCoR-1), and TRβ1 were down-regulated with a minimum at 6-12 h, whereas expression for TRα1 and TRα2 was slightly and significantly up-regulated, respectively, with a maximum at 24 h after APR was initiated. In cultured hepatocytes, acute-phase cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 down-regulated DOR and TRβ1 at the mRNA level. Moreover, gene expression of DOR and TRs (TRα1, TRα2, and TRβ1) was up-regulated in hepatocytes by adding T3 to the culture medium; this up-regulation was almost completely blocked by treating the cells with IL-6. Thus, TRβ1, NCoR-1, and the recently identified DOR/TP53INP2 are abundantly expressed and down-regulated in liver cells during APR. Their down-regulation is attributable to the decreased serum level of thyroid hormones and most probably also to the direct action of the main acute-phase cytokines.

A Novel Cytoplasmic Adaptor for Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) and Thyroid Receptor Functions as a Derepressor of RAR in the Absence of Retinoic Acid*

In most mammalian cells, the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) is nuclear rather than cytoplasmic, regardless of its cognate ligand, retinoic acid (RA). In testis Sertoli cells, however, RAR is retained in the cytoplasm and moves to the nucleus only when RA is supplied. This led us to identify a protein that regulates the translocation of RAR. From yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified a novel RAR-interacting protein called CART1 (cytoplasmic adaptor for RAR and TR). Systematic interaction assays using deletion mutants showed that the C-terminal CoRNR box of CART1 was responsible for the interaction with the NCoR binding region of RAR and TR. Such interaction was impaired in the presence of ligand RA, as further determined by GST pulldown assays in vitro and immunoprecipitation assays in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy showed that unliganded RAR was captured by CART1 in the cytoplasm, whereas liganded RAR was liberated and moved to the nucleus. Overexpression of CART1 blocked the transcriptional repressing activity of unliganded apoRAR, mediated by corepressor NCoR in the nucleus. CART1 siRNA treatment in a mouse Sertoli cell line, TM4, allowed RAR to move to the nucleus and blocked the derepressing function of CART1, suggesting that CART1 might be a cytoplasmic, testis-specific derepressor of RAR.

Histone Deacetylases and the Nuclear Receptor Corepressor Regulate Lytic-Latent Switch Gene 50 in Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68-Infected Macrophages

Gammaherpesviruses are important oncogenic pathogens that transit between lytic and latent life cycles. Silencing the lytic gene expression program enables the establishment of latency and a lifelong chronic infection of the host. In murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68, γHV68), essential lytic switch gene 50 controls the interchange between lytic and latent gene expression programs. However, negative regulators of gene 50 expression remain largely undefined. We report that the MHV68 lytic cycle is silenced in infected macrophages but not fibroblasts and that histone deacetylases (HDACs) mediate silencing. The HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) acts on the gene 50 promoter to induce lytic replication of MHV68. HDAC3, HDAC4, and the nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) are required for efficient silencing of gene 50 expression. NCoR is critical for transcriptional repression of cellular genes by unliganded nuclear receptors. Retinoic acid, a known ligand for the NCoR complex, derepresses gene 50 expression and enhances MHV68 lytic replication. Moreover, HDAC3, HDAC4, and NCoR act on the gene 50 promoter and are recruited to this promoter in a retinoic acid-responsive manner. We provide the first example of NCoR-mediated, HDAC-dependent regulation of viral gene expression.

GSK4112, a Small Molecule Chemical Probe for the Cell Biology of the Nuclear Heme Receptor Rev-erbα

The identification of nonporphyrin ligands for the orphan nuclear receptor Rev-erbα will enable studies of its role as a heme sensor and regulator of metabolic and circadian signaling. We describe the development of a biochemical assay measuring the interaction between Rev-erbα and a peptide from the nuclear receptor corepressor-1 (NCoR). The assay was utilized to identify a small molecule ligand for Rev-erbα, GSK4112 (1), that was competitive with heme. In cells, 1 profiled as a Rev-erbα agonist in cells to inhibit expression of the circadian target gene bmal1. In addition, 1 repressed the expression of gluconeogenic genes in liver cells and reduced glucose output in primary hepatocytes. Therefore, 1 is useful as a chemical tool to probe the function of Rev-erbα in transcriptional repression, regulation of circadian biology, and metabolic pathways. Additionally, 1 may serve as a starting point for design of Rev-erbα chemical probes with in vivo pharmacological activity.

Mechanisms of estrogen receptor antagonism toward p53 and its implications in breast cancer therapeutic response and stem cell regulation

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) plays an important role in the onset and progression of breast cancer, whereas p53 functions as a major tumor suppressor. We previously reported that ERalpha binds to p53, resulting in inhibition of transcriptional regulation by p53. Here, we report on the molecular mechanisms by which ERalpha suppresses p53's transactivation function. Sequential ChIP assays demonstrated that ERalpha represses p53-mediated transcriptional activation in human breast cancer cells by recruiting nuclear receptor corepressors (NCoR and SMRT) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). RNAi-mediated down-regulation of NCoR resulted in increased endogenous expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-inhibitor p21(Waf1/Cip1) (CDKN1A) gene, a prototypic transcriptional target of p53. While 17beta-estradiol (E2) enhanced ERalpha binding to p53 and inhibited p21 transcription, antiestrogens decreased ERalpha recruitment and induced transcription. The effects of estrogen and antiestrogens on p21 transcription were diametrically opposite to their known effects on the conventional ERE-containing ERalpha target gene, pS2/TFF1. These results suggest that ERalpha uses dual strategies to promote abnormal cellular proliferation: enhancing the transcription of ERE-containing proproliferative genes and repressing the transcription of p53-responsive antiproliferative genes. Importantly, ERalpha binds to p53 and inhibits transcriptional activation by p53 in stem/progenitor cell-containing murine mammospheres, suggesting a potential role for the ER-p53 interaction in mammary tissue homeostasis and cancer formation. Furthermore, retrospective studies analyzing response to tamoxifen therapy in a subset of patients with ER-positive breast cancer expressing either wild-type or mutant p53 suggest that the presence of wild-type p53 is an important determinant of positive therapeutic response.

The Role of Receptor-Interacting Protein 140 in the Accumulation of Fat in Ovariectomised Rats

Receptor-interacting protein 140 (RIP140) is a corepressor for nuclear receptors with an important role in the inhibition of energy expenditure. Postmenopausal women have increased white adipose tissue (WAT), and excessive accumulation of adipose tissue (obesity) implies a health risk. The aim of the present work was to investigate the time course of RIP140 expression in WAT during the development of ovariectomy (OVX)-induced obesity in rats. OVX was performed in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats 8 weeks old. Body weight and food intake were determined once a week. WAT of sham-operated, OVX and OVX plus 17β-estradiol therapy (OVX/E2) female SD rats was weighed and used to analyse RIP140 and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) expression by Western blot. Food intake and body weight were significantly increased during the 2-8 weeks after OVX. Even though body weight increased until killing, food intake progressively decreased from 9 to 16 weeks after OVX in rats. Meanwhile, increased WAT mass and decreased RIP140 expression in WAT were observed in OVX rats. In contrast, the expression of UCP-1, a key target gene of RIP140, in WAT of OVX rats was significantly higher than in sham-operated rats. All of these alterations caused by OVX were mostly reversed by the replacement of 17β-estradiol. The down-regulation of RIP140 in WAT may play a compensatory role in OVX-induced obesity in rat.

Interplay of protein misfolding pathway and unfolded-protein response in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Protein misfolding has traditionally been linked to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. However, emerging evidence from various laboratories, including ours, suggests that protein misfolding may also play a fundamental role in some malignancies, particularly those caused by fusion oncoprotein generated from chromosomal translocation. Promyelocytic leukemia (PML) fused to the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) is a fusion oncoprotein linked to the transformation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and is not only a misfolded protein itself, but also promotes misfolding of nuclear receptor corepressor (N-CoR) protein, a corepressor essential for the growth-suppressive function of several tumor-suppressor proteins. PML–RAR promotes misfolding of N-CoR by inducing aberrant post-translational modification, which destabilizes its core and promotes instability. Misfolded N-CoR, thus, contributes to differentiation arrest and survival of APL cells through loss-of-function and aberrant gain-of-function properties. Therapeutic restoration of N-CoR conformation and function with conformation-modifying agents not only releases this differentiation arrest but also sensitizes APL cells to programmed cell death. These findings illustrate the potential of the misfolded N-CoR protein as a conformation-based drugable molecular target for APL, and highlights the promise of various conformation-modifying agents as novel therapeutics for APL. Protein conformational rearrangement, resulting from an inherited or acquired genetic alteration, could be a common pathological phenomenon contributing to transformation in different types of leukemias and solid tumors and, therefore, could serve as a common ground for designing a unifying diagnostic as well as therapeutic approach for a widely diverse disease such as cancer. To that end, APL could serve as a model for the development of a novel conformation-based therapeutic approach for other malignant diseases.

The effect of a PP2A inhibitor on the nuclear receptor corepressor pathway in glioma

Nuclear receptor corepressor (N-CoR) forms a complex that maintains neural stem cells in an undifferentiated state through transcriptional repression. Recently, it has been shown that N-CoR is overexpressed in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor stem cells and has a putative role in maintaining these cells in an undifferentiated immortal state. To determine the effects of disruption of N-CoR complex function by serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition on GBM tumor cell differentiation and proliferation, the authors developed and investigated a competitive small molecule inhibitor (LB1) of PP2A in GBM. The authors investigated the effects of LB1 on GBM proliferation and molecular differentiation pathways using in vitro and in vivo studies. The LB1 inhibited PP2A, leading to increased levels of phosphorylated Akt kinase and decreased NCoR expression, as well as dose-dependent antiproliferative activity in cultured U87 and U251 malignant glioma cells (dose range 1-10 microM). Systemic LB1 treatment (1.5 mg/kg/day for 21 days) had significant tumor antiproliferative effects in mice harboring U87 glioma xenografts (73% mean reduction in tumor volume compared with controls; p < 0.001). Moreover, a reduction in PP2A expression and activity after LB1 treatment in vivo correlated with increased Akt phosphorylation, reduced nuclear N-CoR expression and N-CoR cytoplasmic translocation, and increased accumulation of acetylated core histones, which coincided with the appearance of glial fibrillary acidic protein-expressing tumor cells. These findings indicate that PP2A inhibition effectively disrupts N-CoR complex function/expression and leads to cytoplasmic translocation of N-CoR with subsequent tumor cell differentiation and/or death. Therapeutic paradigms that target N-CoR function in the cancer stem cell component of malignant gliomas may have treatment utility.

Low Doses of Lipopolysaccharide and Minimally Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Cooperatively Activate Macrophages via Nuclear Factor κB and Activator Protein-1

Rationale : Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is an important determinant of inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions. It has also been documented that certain chronic infectious diseases, such as periodontitis and chlamydial infection, exacerbate clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis. In addition, low-level but persistent metabolic endotoxemia is often found in diabetic and obese subjects and is induced in mice fed a high-fat diet. Objective : In this study, we examined cooperative macrophage activation by low levels of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and by minimally oxidized LDL (mmLDL), as a model for subclinical endotoxemia-complicated atherosclerosis. Methods and Results : We found that both in vitro and in vivo, mmLDL and LPS (Kdo2-LipidA) cooperatively activated macrophages to express proinflammatory cytokines Cxcl2 (MIP-2), Ccl3 (MIP-1α), and Ccl4 (MIP-1β). Importantly, the mmLDL and LPS cooperative effects were evident at a threshold LPS concentration (1 ng/mL) at which LPS alone induced only a limited macrophage response. Analyzing microarray data with a de novo motif discovery algorithm, we found that genes transcribed by promoters containing an activator protein (AP)-1 binding site were significantly upregulated by costimulation with mmLDL and LPS. In a nuclear factor–DNA binding assay, the cooperative effect of mmLDL and LPS costimulation on c-Jun and c-Fos DNA binding, but not on p65 or p50, was dependent on mmLDL-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. In addition, mmLDL induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent derepression of AP-1 by removing nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) from the chemokine promoters. Conclusions : The cooperative engagement of AP-1 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB by mmLDL and LPS may constitute a mechanism of increased transcription of inflammatory cytokines within atherosclerotic lesions.

The role of the amino-terminal domain in the interaction of unliganded peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-2 with nuclear receptor co-repressor

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-2 (PPARG2) is a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. In the presence of a ligand, PPARG2 associates with co-activators, while it recruits co-repressors (CoRs) in the absence of a ligand. It has been reported that the interaction of liganded PPARG2 with co-activators is regulated by the amino-terminal A/B domain (NTD) via inter-domain communication. However, the role of the NTD is unknown in the case of the interaction between unliganded PPARG2 and CoRs. To elucidate this, total elimination of the influence of ligands is required, but the endogenous ligands of PPARG2 have not been fully defined. PPARG1-P467L, a naturally occurring mutant of PPARG1, was identified in a patient with severe insulin resistance. Reflecting its very low affinity for various ligands, this mutant does not have transcriptional activity in the PPAR response element, but exhibits dominant negative effects (DNEs) on liganded wild-type PPARG2-mediated transactivation. Using the corresponding PPARG2 mutant, PPARG2-P495L, we evaluated the role of the NTD in the interaction between unliganded PPARG2 and CoRs. Interestingly, the DNE of PPARG2-P495L was increased by the truncation of its NTD. NTD deletion also enhanced the DNE of a chimeric receptor, PT, in which the ligand-binding domain of PPARG2 was replaced with that of thyroid hormone receptor beta-1. Moreover, NTD deletion facilitated the in vitro binding of nuclear receptor CoR with wild-type PPARG2, mutant P495L, and the PT chimera (PPARG2-THRB). Inter-domain communication in PPARG2 regulates not only ligand-dependent transactivation but also ligand-independent silencing.

Structure of Rev-erbalpha bound to N-CoR reveals a unique mechanism of nuclear receptor-co-repressor interaction.

Repression of gene transcription by the nuclear receptor Rev-erbalpha plays an integral role in the core molecular circadian clock. We report the crystal structure of a nuclear receptor-co-repressor (N-CoR) interaction domain 1 (ID1) peptide bound to truncated human Rev-erbalpha ligand-binding domain (LBD). The ID1 peptide forms an unprecedented antiparallel beta-sheet with Rev-erbalpha, as well as an alpha-helix similar to that seen in nuclear receptor ID2 crystal structures but out of register by four residues. Comparison with the structure of Rev-erbbeta bound to heme indicates that ID1 peptide and heme induce substantially different conformational changes in the LBD. Although heme is involved in Rev-erb repression, the structure suggests that Rev-erbalpha could also mediate repression via ID1 binding in the absence of heme. The previously uncharacterized secondary structure induced by ID1 peptide binding advances our understanding of nuclear receptor-co-repressor interactions.

The Silencing Mediator of Retinoid and Thyroid Hormone Receptors (SMRT) Regulates Adipose Tissue Accumulation and Adipocyte Insulin Sensitivity in Vivo

The silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) serves as a corepressor for nuclear receptors and other factors. Recent evidence suggests that SMRT is an important regulator of metabolism, but its role in adipocyte function in vivo remains unclear. We generated heterozygous SMRT knock-out (SMRT(+/-)) mice to investigate the function of SMRT in the adipocyte and the regulation of adipocyte insulin sensitivity. We show that SMRT(+/-) mice are normal weight on a regular diet, but develop increased adiposity on a high-fat diet (HFD). The mechanisms underlying this phenotype are complex, but appear to be due to a combination of an increased number of smaller subcutaneous adipocytes as well as decreased leptin expression, resulting in greater caloric intake. In addition, adipogenesis of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from these mice was increased. However, adipocyte insulin sensitivity, measured by insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation and insulin-mediated suppression of lipolysis, was enhanced in SMRT(+/-) adipocytes. These finding suggest that SMRT regulates leptin expression and limits the ability of fat mass to expand with increased caloric intake, but that SMRT also negatively regulates adipocyte insulin sensitivity.

MicroRNA Cluster 221-222 and Estrogen Receptor α Interactions in Breast Cancer

Several lines of evidence have suggested that estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)-negative breast tumors, which are highly aggressive and nonresponsive to hormonal therapy, arise from ERalpha-positive precursors through different molecular pathways. Because microRNAs (miRNAs) modulate gene expression, we hypothesized that they may have a role in ER-negative tumor formation. Gene expression profiles were used to highlight the global changes induced by miRNA modulation of ERalpha protein. miRNA transfection and luciferase assays enabled us to identify new targets of miRNA 206 (miR-206) and miRNA cluster 221-222 (miR-221-222). Northern blot, luciferase assays, estradiol treatment, and chromatin immunoprecipitation were performed to identify the miR-221-222 transcription unit and the mechanism implicated in its regulation. Different global changes in gene expression were induced by overexpression of miR-221-222 and miR-206 in ER-positive cells. miR-221 and -222 increased proliferation of ERalpha-positive cells, whereas miR-206 had an inhibitory effect (mean absorbance units [AU]: miR-206: 500 AU, 95% confidence interval [CI]) = 480 to 520; miR-221: 850 AU, 95% CI = 810 to 873; miR-222: 879 AU, 95% CI = 850 to 893; P < .05). We identified hepatocyte growth factor receptor and forkhead box O3 as new targets of miR-206 and miR-221-222, respectively. We demonstrated that ERalpha negatively modulates miR-221 and -222 through the recruitment of transcriptional corepressor partners: nuclear receptor corepressor and silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor. These findings suggest that the negative regulatory loop involving miR-221-222 and ERalpha may confer proliferative advantage and migratory activity to breast cancer cells and promote the transition from ER-positive to ER-negative tumors.