BAG1L enhances trans-activation function of the vitamin D receptor

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a member of the steroid/retinoid receptor superfamily of nuclear receptors that has potential tumor-suppressive functions. We show here that VDR interacts with and is regulated by BAG1L, a nuclear protein that binds heat shock 70-kDa (Hsp70) family molecular chaperones. Endogenous BAG1L can be co-immunoprecipitated with VDR from prostate cancer cells (ALVA31; LNCaP) in a ligand-dependent manner. BAG1L, but not shorter non-nuclear isoforms of this protein (BAG1; BAG1M/Rap46), markedly enhanced, in a ligand-dependent manner, the ability of VDR to trans-activate reporter gene plasmids containing a vitamin D response element in transient transfection assays. Mutant BAG1L lacking the C-terminal Hsc70-binding domain suppressed (in a concentration-dependent fashion) VDR-mediated trans-activation of vitamin D response element-containing reporter gene plasmids, without altering levels of VDR or endogenous BAG1L protein, suggesting that it operates as a trans-dominant inhibitor of BAG1L. Gene transfer-mediated elevations in BAG1L protein levels in a prostate cancer cell line (PC3), which is moderately responsive to VDR ligands, increased the ability of natural (1alpha,25(OH)(2) vitamin D(3)) and synthetic (1alpha, 25-dihydroxy-19-nor-22(E)-vitamin D(3)) VDR ligands to induce expression of the VDR target gene, p21(Waf1), and suppress DNA synthesis. Thus, BAG1L is a direct regulator of VDR, which enhances its trans-activation function and improves tumor cell responses to growth-suppressive VDR ligands.     

The homeodomain protein, Pit-1/GHF-1, is capable of binding to and activating cell-specific elements of both the growth hormone and prolactin gene promoters

Studies were conducted to determine whether the trans-acting protein Pit-1/GHF-1 can bind to and activate promoter elements in both the GH and PRL genes that are necessary for cell-specific expression. Four pituitary cell lines that differentially express the endogenous GH and PRL genes were examined for their ability to activate GH and PRL promoter constructs containing sequences necessary for cell-specific expression (CSEs). Plasmids containing one CSE, -96 PRL and -104 GH, were similarly expressed in each of the four cell lines. Of the plasmids containing two CSEs, -173 PRL was always activated to a greater extent than -145 GH, with this relative activation being stronger in GC and GH1 cells than in 235-1 and GH4C1 cells. Protein-DNA binding assays were used to show that the GH and PRL CSEs specifically bound two highly abundant nuclear proteins (31 and 33 kDa). The two proteins were present at similar levels in all four pituitary cell lines and were recognized by a Pit-1/GHF-1 antibody. In contrast, HeLa and Rat2 cells did not activate transfected GH or PRL plasmids and did not contain nuclear proteins that specifically bound to the GH and PRL CSEs. However, cotransfection of these cells with the expression vector RSV-Pit-1/GHF-1 resulted in the activation of -173 PRL and -145 GH (PRL greater than GH). HeLa cells transfected with RSV-Pit-1/GHF-1 also contained 31- and 33-kDa nuclear proteins that bound to the GH and PRL CSEs. These results show that Pit-1/GHF-1 is present at levels in pituitary cell lines that are sufficient to activate the minimal elements in both the GH and PRL promoters necessary for cell-specific expression of these genes.     

The vitamin D receptor interacts preferentially with DRIP205-like LxxLL motifs

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates the biological actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) through its capacity to recruit coregulatory proteins. This interaction is mediated via a coregulatory LxxLL motif. We screened a combinatorial (x)7LxxLL(x)7 phage library with purified VDR to identify peptides that displayed high affinity and selectivity for VDR. These peptides contained the consensus sequence Lx E/H x H/F P L/M/I LxxLL and exhibited significant sequence similarity to the active LxxLL box found in DRIP205. Nearly all LxxLL peptides interacted in a ligand-dependent manner directly with human VDR. However, a pattern of selectivity of the peptides for other members of the nuclear receptor family was also observed. Interestingly, the interaction between the VDR and many of the peptides was differentially sensitive to a broad assortment of VDR ligands. Finally, several of these peptides were shown to inhibit activation of a 1,25(OH)2D3-sensitive reporter gene. These studies suggest that the LxxLL motif can interact directly with the VDR and that this interaction is regulated by chemically diverse vitamin D ligands.