Mechanisms of Enhancer-mediated Hormonal Control of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Expression in Target Cells

The biological actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1,25(OH)₂D₃) are mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), whose expression in bone cells is regulated positively by 1,25(OH)₂D₃, retinoic acid, and parathyroid hormone through both intergenic and intronic enhancers. In this report, we used ChIP-sequencing analysis to confirm the presence of these Vdr gene enhancers in mesenchyme-derived bone cells and to describe the epigenetic histone landscape that spans the Vdr locus. Using bacterial artificial chromosome-minigene stable cell lines, CRISPR/Cas9 enhancer-deleted daughter cell lines, transient transfection/mutagenesis analyses, and transgenic mice, we confirmed the functionality of these bone cell enhancers in vivo as well as in vitro. We also identified VDR-binding sites across the Vdr gene locus in kidney and intestine using ChIP-sequencing analysis, revealing that only one of the bone cell-type enhancers bound VDR in kidney tissue, and none were occupied by the VDR in the intestine, consistent with weak or absent regulation by the 1,25(OH)₂D₃ hormone in these tissues, respectively. However, a number of additional sites of VDR binding unique to either kidney or intestine were present further upstream of the Vdr gene, suggesting the potential for alternative regulatory loci. Importantly, virtually all of these regions retained histone signatures consistent with those of enhancers and exhibited unique DNase I hypersensitivity profiles that reflected the potential for chromatin access. These studies define mechanisms associated with hormonal regulation of the Vdr and hint at the differential nature of VDR binding activity at the Vdr gene in different primary target tissues in vivo.     

雄激素通过雄激素受体途径调控垂体肿瘤转化基因(PTTG1)的表达

雄激素能上调大鼠前列腺中垂体肿瘤转化基因1(PTTG1)的表达,在前列腺癌标本中,发现PTTG1的表达明显高于正常组织.因此,用雄激素依赖的前列腺癌细胞LNCaP来研究雄激素调控PTTG1表达的分子机制.在LNCaP细胞中,通过雄激素刺激后,PTTG1的表达明显升高.根据序列分析以及5-缺失体实验(deletion)和突变实验(mutation),发现PTTG1的启动子上游-950到-933的序列上有1个雄激素受体反应元件(ARE),染色体免疫共沉淀实验(CHIP)也证实了雄激素能促进雄激素受体与PTTG1启动子上ARE结合,从而在转录水平调控PTTG1的表达.     

RECS1负调控肿瘤坏死因子受体2介导的NF-κB激活

RECS1(responsive to centrifugal force and shear stress gene 1)是一血液剪切力应答蛋白.RECS1基因敲除的小鼠年老时易患主动脉囊性中层坏死并表现有大动脉扩张症,暗示RECS1可能参与调控血管的发育重塑.免疫组化分析发现,RECS1基因敲除(RECS1 knockout, RECS1 KO)的小鼠主动脉基质金属蛋白酶-9（matrix metalloproteinase-9,MMP-9）的表达水平明显提高,但RECS1的结构与功能及相关作用机理仍不清楚.研究发现,RECS1是肿瘤坏死因子受体2（tumor neucrosis factor receptor 2, TNFR2）的结合蛋白质.报告基因检测实验表明,RECS1能特异地抑制TNFR2特异的激动性抗体或过量表达TNFR2诱导的核转录因子-κB（nuclear factorκB,NF-κB）活化.NPLY模体缺失突变的RECS1不能结合TNFR2,并丧失对TNFR2介导NF-κB活化的抑制能力.稳定表达RECS1的MEFS细胞中,TNFR2特异的激动性抗体诱导的IκB (inhibitor of NF-κB)降解和NF-κB靶基因白介素-6（interleukin-6,IL-6）的表达均受到明显抑制.该研究揭示了RECS1通过与TNFR2的相互作用,负调控TNFR2介导肿瘤坏死因子信号传递的新功能及RECS1参与血管发育重塑调控的可能机制.