scholarly journals Identification of a Binding Site for Unsaturated Fatty Acids in the Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nurr1

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1795-1799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Mitchelle S. de Vera ◽  
Pankaj K. Giri ◽  
Paola Munoz-Tello ◽  
Richard Brust ◽  
Jakob Fuhrmann ◽  
...  
1987 ◽  
Vol 243 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
P L H Hwang

Specific high-affinity binding sites for non-steroidal anti-oestrogens such as tamoxifen have been identified in many animal and human tissues. The function of these binding sites and the nature of their endogenous ligands are currently unknown. Our laboratory has previously reported that unsaturated fatty acids at micromolar concentrations inhibited [3H]tamoxifen binding to the anti-oestrogen-binding sites in rat liver, raising the possibility that fatty acids might represent endogenous ligands for these sites. These studies have now been extended to examine the mechanism by which fatty acids inhibit [3H]tamoxifen binding to the anti-oestrogen-binding site. Saturation analysis revealed that increasing concentrations of oleic acid progressively decreased the apparent binding affinity of these sites for [3H]tamoxifen without decreasing the total number of binding sites; however, the apparent dissociation constant did not vary linearly with the prevailing oleic acid concentration, suggesting that the inhibition of [3H]tamoxifen binding by fatty acid was not competitive in nature. Kinetic studies of [3H]tamoxifen binding showed that oleic acid did not affect the rate of association, but increased the rate of dissociation of [3H]tamoxifen from the anti-oestrogen-binding site; the latter finding would not be expected if oleic acid acted as a competitive inhibitor. Furthermore, incubation of a rat microsomal fraction with [3H]oleic acid in the absence and presence of excess non-radioactively labelled tamoxifen also failed to demonstrate direct competition between oleic acid and tamoxifen for the same binding site. It is concluded that oleic acid, and presumably other unsaturated fatty acids, do not compete for the anti-oestrogen-binding site and probably reduce its tamoxifen-binding affinity by some other mechanism, such as perturbation of the lipid environment of the binding site. The biological significance of this interaction of unsaturated fatty acids with the anti-oestrogen-binding site remains to be elucidated.


Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (9) ◽  
pp. 1799-1807
Author(s):  
G. Giuili ◽  
W.H. Shen ◽  
H.A. Ingraham

Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) functions to promote regression of the Mullerian duct during male development. Maintaining the sexually dimorphic pattern of MIS expression is essential for proper mammalian reproductive tract development. Here, we show that the intricate spatial and temporal pattern of MIS expression is directed by a remarkably small proximal promoter of only 180 base pairs in length. Expression of the MIS-human growth hormone transgene (MIS/GH) is restricted to Sertoli cells in embryonic testis and to granulosa cells of postnatal ovary, consistent with the known MIS expression pattern. The proximal MIS promoter is therefore sufficient to direct the initiation and the maintenance of MIS gene expression in both sexes. Moreover, in vivo MIS promoter activity requires an intact binding site for the orphan nuclear receptor SF-1. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that SF-1 directly activates MIS in embryonic and postnatal gonads. Consistent with the proposed role of SF-1 in mammalian sex-determination, our study provides physiological evidence that a SF-1 binding site is essential for gene activation of an embryonic testis-specific marker.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Safe ◽  
Rupesh Shrestha ◽  
Kumaravel Mohankumar

Abstract The nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily of transcription factors encodes expression of 48 human genes that are important for maintaining cellular homeostasis and in pathophysiology, and this has been observed for all sub-families including orphan receptors for which endogenous ligands have not yet been identified. The orphan NR4A1 (Nur77 and TR3) and other members of this sub-family (NR4A2 and NR4A3) are immediate early genes induced by diverse stressors, and these receptors play an important role in the immune function and are up-regulated in some inflammatory diseases including solid tumors. Although endogenous ligands for NR4A have not been identified, several different classes of compounds have been characterized as NR4A1 ligands that bind the receptor. These compounds include cytosporone B and structurally related analogs, bis-indole derived (CDIM) compounds, the triterpenoid celastrol and a number of other chemicals including polyunsaturated fatty acids. NR4A1 ligands bind different regions/surfaces of NR4A1 and exhibit selective NR4A1 modulator (SNR4AM) activities that are dependent on ligand structure and cell/tissue context. NR4A1 ligands exhibit pharmacologic activities in studies on cancer, endometriosis metabolic and inflammatory diseases and are promising agents with clinical potential for treating multiple diseases.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Mitchelle S. de Vera ◽  
Paola Munoz-Tello ◽  
Venkatasubramanian Dharmarajan ◽  
David P. Marciano ◽  
Edna Matta-Camacho ◽  
...  

Nuclear receptor related 1 protein (Nurr1/NR4A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor that is considered to function without a canonical ligand-binding pocket. A crystal structure of the Nurr1 ligand-binding domain (LBD) revealed no physical space in the conserved region where other nuclear receptors with solvent accessible apo-protein ligand-binding pockets bind synthetic and natural ligands. Using solution NMR spectroscopy, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show here that the putative canonical ligand-binding pocket in the Nurr1 LBD is dynamic with high solvent accessibility, exchanges between two or more conformations on the microsecond-to-millisecond timescale, and can expand from the collapsed crystalized conformation to allow binding of unsaturated fatty acids. These findings should stimulate future studies to probe the ligandability and druggability of Nurr1 for both endogenous and synthetic ligands, which could lead to new therapeutics for Nurr1-related diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
A. Levitsky ◽  
A. Lapinska ◽  
I. Selivanskaya

The article analyzes the role of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially omega-3 series in humans and animals. The biosynthesis of essential PUFA in humans and animals is very limited, so they must be consumed with food (feed). Тhe ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA is very important. Biomembranes of animal cells contain about 30% PUFA with a ratio of ω-6/ ω-3 1-2. As this ratio increases, the physicochemical properties of biomembranes and the functional activity of their receptors change. The regulatory function of essential PUFA is that in the body under the action of oxygenase enzymes (cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase) are formed extremely active hormone-like substances (eicosanoids and docosanoids), which affect a number of physiological processes: inflammation, immunity, metabolism. Moreover, ω-6 PUFA form eicosanoids, which have pro-inflammatory, immunosuppressive properties, and ω-3 PUFAs form eicosanoids and docosanoids, which have anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory properties. Deficiency of essential PUFA, and especially ω-3 PUFA, leads to impaired development of the body and its state of health, which are manifestations of avitaminosis F. Prevention and treatment of avitaminosis F is carried out with drugs that contain PUFA. To create new, more effective vitamin F preparations, it is necessary to reproduce the model of vitamin F deficiency. An experimental model of vitamin F deficiency in white rats kept on a fat –free diet with the addition of coconut oil, which is almost completely free of unsaturated fatty acids, and saturated fatty acids make up almost 99 % of all fatty acids was developed. The total content of ω-6 PUFA (sum of linoleic and arachidonic acids), the content of ω-3 PUFA (α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) in neutral lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol esters) defined. Тhe content of ω-6 PUFA under the influence of coconut oil decreased by 3.3 times, and the content of ω-3 PUFA - by 7.5 times. Тhe influence of coconut oil, the content of ω-6 PUFA decreased by 2.1 times, and the content of ω-3 PUFA - by 2.8 times. The most strongly reduces the content of ω-3 PUFA, namely eicosapentaenoic, coconut oil, starting from 5 %. Consumption of FFD with a content of 15 % coconut oil reduces the content of eicosapentaenoic acid to zero, ie we have an absolute deficiency of one of the most important essential PUFAs, which determined the presence of vitamin F deficiency.


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