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The pleiotropic effects of the natural and synthetic retinoids are mediated by the activation of the two subfamilies of nuclear receptors, the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and the retinoic X receptors (RXRs). At the molecular level, these events begin with the specific ligand recognition by a nuclear receptor subtype. The adaptation of ligands to the receptor binding site leads to an optimal number of interactions for binding and selectivity which justifies elucidation of the structural requirements of the ligand binding pocket. To explore the contribution of H6-H7 loop folding in the ligand-induced conformational changes explained by the mouse-trap model, four RARalpha mutants were constructed. Ligand binding and transactivation studies revealed that three residues from the H6-H7 loop (Gly(301), Phe(302) and Gly(303)) are critical for the conformational adaptation of both synthetic agonists and antagonists. Model building and analysis of both RARalpha-ATRA and RARalpha-CD367 complexes demonstrate that accommodation of CD367 results in a less tight contact of the saturated ring of this ligand with the amino acid side chains of the receptor ligand-binding pocket compared with that of ATRA. According to the flexibility of the agonists tested (ATRA>TTNPB=Am580> CD367), we observed a decrease in binding that was dependent on ligand structure rigidity. In contrast, the binding and transactivating activities of the L266A mutant confirmed the structural constraints imposed by synthetic ligands on binding affinity for the receptor and revealed that subtle local rearrangements induced by specific conformational adaptation changes result in different binding affinities. Our results illustrate the dynamic nature of the interaction between RARalpha and its ligands and demonstrate the critical role of the H6-H7 loop in the binding of both synthetic retinoid agonists and antagonists.

Estrogen synthesis in adipose tissue is associated with the development of breast cancer. Tumors are preferentially found in breast quadrants with strongest expression of the cytochrome P450 aromatase (encoded by the gene CYP19A1). Several promoters regulated by various hormonal factors drive aromatase expression in human breast adipose fibroblasts (BAFs). As adipose tissue is a major source of retinoids, in this study, we investigated their role in the regulation of aromatase expression. The retinoids all-trans-retinoic acid (at-RA) and 9-cis-RA induce aromatase activity in human BAFs. In BAFs, at-RA induces aromatase gene expression via promoter I.4. In 3T3-L1 cells, both retinoids specifically drive luciferase reporter gene expression under the control of aromatase promoter I.4, whereas other promoters active in human adipose tissue are insensitive. Activation by retinoids depends on a 467 bp fragment (−256/+211) of promoter I.4 containing four putative retinoic acid response elements (RAREs). Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that only RARE2 (+91/+105) mediates the retinoid-dependent induction of reporter gene activity. In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and human BAFs, RA receptor α (RARα (RARA)) expression is predominant, whereas RARβ (RARB) or RARγ (RARG) expression is low. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with nuclear extracts obtained from human BAFs and 3T3-L1 cells identified a specific RARE2-binding complex. Retinoids enhanced complex formation, whereas pre-incubation with anti-RARα antibodies prohibited the binding of RARα to RARE2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed RA-dependent binding of RARα to the RARE2-containing promoter region in vivo. Furthermore, we provide evidence that RARE2 is also necessary for the basal activation of promoter I.4 in these cells. Taken together, these findings indicate a novel retinoid-dependent mechanism of aromatase activity induction in adipose tissue.

The effects of two vitamin D analogues, EB1089 and CB1093, on insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) expression have been examined in MCF-7 and Hs578T human breast cancer cell lines. Both vitamin D analogues inhibited IGF-1 stimulated growth of MCF-7 cells and enhanced the production of IGFBP-3 as determined by Western-ligand blotting. Recombinant human IGFBP-3 inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells over the concentration range 1-235 ng/ml. Hs578T cells were unresponsive to the mitogenic effects of IGF-1 but growth was inhibited by the two vitamin D analogues. Treatment of Hs578T cells with EB1089 and CB1093 (10 nM) as well as 100 nM 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA) or all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was associated with increased accumulation of IGFBP-3 in conditioned medium. Furthermore, cotreatment of Hs578T cells with EB1089 and 9-cis RA led to augmented effects on both inhibition of cell growth and IGFBP-3 accumulation in conditioned medium as assessed by Western ligand blotting and radioimmunoassay. These findings suggest a role for IGFBP-3 in the growth inhibitory effects of vitamin D analogues.

Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha) plays an important role in mediating all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) signals. In this study, we found that ATRA up-regulated RARalpha mRNA and protein expression in gastric cancer BGC-823 cells. However, in breast cancer MCF-7 cells it down-regulated RARalpha protein expression with no effect on its RARalpha mRNA. Immunoprecipitation/Western blot analysis showed that, although sumoylated and ubiquitinated RARalpha existed simultaneously in both cancer cell lines, ATRA exerted different regulatory effects on sumoylation and ubiquitination of RARalpha. In MCF-7 cells, ATRA treatment enhanced the ubiquitination of RARalpha and the subsequent degradation of RARalpha through the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. This resulted in a reduction in the DNA binding activity of RARalpha/retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) heterodimer, the separation of RXRalpha from RARalpha and the translocation of RXRalpha from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. By contrast, in BGC-823 cells, ATRA augmented sumoylation, not ubiquitination, of RARalpha. The stability of sumoylated RARalpha was significantly stronger than in non-sumoylated RARalpha. These results also showed an increase in the DNA binding activity of the RARalpha/RXRalpha heterodimer and the stability of nuclear localization of this heterodimer, which normally facilitates the ATRA signal transduction. In conclusion, our results reveal a novel mechanism for the regulation of RARalpha-dependent signal transduction through the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway in breast cancer cells and the sumoylation pathway in gastric cancer cells.