10 research outputs found
Molecular mechanisms of androgen receptor functions
The androgens testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are steroid hormones, which
are necessary for development and maintenance of the functions of the male sex organs,
including the prostate. Androgens also play an important role in benign abnormalities of the
prostate and in the growth of prostate cancer. Prostate tumors, which are not yet metastatic, are
treated with radiotherapy or by surgical removal of the complete prostate. Therapy of
metastasized prostate cancer aims on inhibition of androgen action, by inhibtion of the
production of T in the testis (chemical castration) and by administration of anti-androgens. T
and DHT exert their function by specific binding as a ligand to the androgen receptor (AR). The
AR is a member of the family of nuclear receptors. It is expressed in androgen target cells, and
functions as a ligand induced transcription factor. In this thesis described research project
focusses on several molecular mechanisms of AR functions.
Chapter 1 gives an overview of the current knowledge on nuclear receptors in general and
different aspects of AR functions in particular. Among the latter are: receptor structure,
interaction with other proteins involved in transcription, the ligand-dependent interaction
between the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the ligand binding C-terminal domain (LBD) of the
AR (N/C interaction), expression of androgen-specific regulated genes, and the role of AR
mutations in prostate cancer
Functional interactions of the AF-2 activation domain core region of the human androgen receptor with the amino-terminal domain and with the transcirptional coactivator TIF2 (Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 2)
Functional interactions of the AF-2 activation domain core region of the human androgen receptor with the amino-terminal domain and with the transcriptional coactivator TIF2 (transcriptional intermediary factor2)
Previous studies in yeast and mammalian cells showed a functional
interaction between the amino-terminal domain and the carboxy-terminal,
ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the human androgen receptor (AR). In the
present study, the AR subdomains involved in this in vivo interaction were
determined in more detail. Cotransfection experiments in Chinese hamster
ovary (CHO) cells and two-hybrid experiments in yeast revealed that two
regions in the NH2-terminal domain are involved in the functional
interaction with the LBD: an interacting domain at the very NH2 terminus,
located between amino acid residues 3 and 36, and a second domain,
essential for transactivation, located between residues 370 and 494.
Substitution of glutamic acid by glutamine at position 888 (E888Q) in the
AF-2 activation domain (AD) core region in the LBD, markedly decreased the
interaction with the NH2-terminal domain. This mutation neither influenced
hormone binding nor LBD homodimerization, suggesting a role of the AF-2 AD
core region in the functional interaction between the NH2-terminal domain
and the LBD. The AF-2 AD core region was also involved in the interaction
with the coactivator TIF2 (transcriptional intermediary factor 2), as the
E888Q mutation decreased the stimulatory effect of TIF2 on AR AF-2
activity. Cotransfection of TIF2 and the AR NH2-terminal domain expression
vectors did not result in synergy between both factors in the induction of
AR AF-2 activity. TIF2 highly induced AR AF-2 activity on a complex
promoter [mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)], but it was hardly active on a
minimal promoter (GRE-TATA). In contrast, the AR NH2-terminal domain
induced AR AF-2 activity on both promoter constructs. These data indicate
that both the AR NH2-terminal domain and the coactivator TIF2 functionally
interact, either directly or indirectly, with the AF-2 AD core region in
the AR-LBD, but the level of transcriptional response induced by TIF2
depends on the promoter context
Functional interactions of the AF-2 activation domain core region of the human androgen receptor with the amino-terminal domain and with the transcirptional coactivator TIF2 (Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 2)
Both androgen receptor and glucocorticoid receptor are able to induce prostate-specific antigen expression, but differ in their growth-stimulating properties of LNCaP cells
Androgen receptor-positive LNCaP cells were stably transfected with a rat
glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression plasmid. Ligand-binding studies in
the generated cell lines revealed high-affinity binding of the cognate
ligands to their receptors. Transfection experiments with the newly
derived cell lines showed that, like androgen receptor, GR can induce
activity of a prostate-specific antigen promoter fragment linked to the
luciferase gene. Similarly, dexamethasone can stimulate expression of
endogenous prostate-specific antigen messenger RNA. Cell proliferation
could be induced by R1881. In contrast, dexamethasone treatment of the
GR-positive sublines had no stimulatory effect on cell growth. Using the
differential display technique, a so far unknown complementary DNA
fragment, designated 21.1, specifically induced by androgens and not by
glucocorticoids, has been identified. In conclusion, the newly generated
cell lines, together with the parental LNCaP cell line, form an attractive
system with which to study the mechanism of specificity of steroid hormone
regulation of gene expression
Amino acids 3-13 and amino acids in and flanking the 23FxxLF27 motif modulate the interaction between the N-terminal and ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor
The N-terminal domain (NTD) and the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the
androgen receptor (AR) exhibit a ligand-dependent interaction (N/C
interaction). Amino acids 3-36 in the NTD (AR3-36) play a dominant role in
this interaction. Previously, it has been shown that a PhixxPhiPhi motif
in AR3-36, 23FxxLF27, is essential for LBD interaction. We demonstrate in
the current study that AR3-36 can be subdivided into two functionally
distinct fragments: AR3-13 and AR16-36. AR3-13 does not directly interact
with the AR LBD, but rather contributes to the transactivation function of
the AR.NTD-AR.LBD complex. AR16-36, encompassing the 23FxxLF27 motif, is
predicted to fold into a long amphipathic alpha-helix. A second
PhixxPhiPhi candidate protein interaction motif within the helical
structure, 30VREVI34, shows no affinity to the LBD. Within AR16-36, amino
acid residues in and flanking the 23FxxLF27 motif are demonstrated to
modulate N/C interaction. Substitution of Q24 and N25 by alanine residues
enhances N/C interaction. Substitution of amino acids flanking the
23FxxLF27 motif by alanines are inhibitory to LBD interaction