Purification of a full-length recombinant glucocorticoid receptor

We described a novel purification method for a recombinant glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in detail. The purification procedure consists of sequential chromatographies using common ion-exchange columns (Mono Q and Mono S). This procedure is based upon a new finding that the activated GR binds both to a Mono Q column and to a Mono S column at the same pH. The entire chromatographies took about 3 h and GR represented 97% of the purified protein sample. This purification protocol will be applicable to the purification of native GR, point-mutated recombinant GR and other nuclear receptors.     

The purified activated glucocorticoid receptor is a homodimer

The structure of purified preparations of activated (DNA-binding) glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was analyzed in the presence or absence of DNA. A 35-base pair DNA fragment harboring a strong GR-binding site from the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter (-189/-166) was used for stoichiometric analysis of the GR.DNA complex. Glycerol gradient centrifugation was utilized in order to separate the 6 S GR.DNA complex from the 4 S GR and the 3 S DNA fragment. Synthetic glucocorticoid [3H]triamcinolone acetonide bound to GR and 32P-5'-end-labeled DNA fragment were used as probes for quantitation of each component. Such experiments demonstrated that two hormone molecules (two 87.5-kDa GR peptides) are associated with each cognate DNA site. Quantitative DNase I footprinting confirmed this result. The formation of the GR.DNA complex was ligand-dependent, but once formed the complex remained stable after ligand dissociation. Incubation of GR with 0.01-0.1% (w/v) glutaraldehyde resulted in a shift in its sedimentation rate from 4 to 6 S. Gel filtration chromatography of glutaraldehyde-treated GR resulted in a complex of slightly larger size than the gamma-globulin standard (158 kDa). Gel filtration of GR without glutaraldehyde treatment gave the identical result. This suggests that a GR multimer, probably a homodimer, is stable during gel filtration chromatography but needs to be stabilized by glutaraldehyde cross-linking or DNA during glycerol gradient centrifugation. We conclude that the activated GR exists as a homodimer when unbound as well as when bound to DNA.     

Glucocorticoid receptor from lactating goat mammary tissue comparison of native and activated forms in a cell free system

Physicochemical properties of native and activated (DNA-binding) forms of the glucocorticoid receptor in cytosol prepared from lactating goat mammary tissue have been examined. Under hypotonic conditions the cytosolic receptor sediments at 8.4 S or 9.9 S in the absence or presence of 10 mM molybdate, respectively. The receptor in cytosol, either with or without molybdate elutes from DEAE-cellulose at approximately 200 mM potassium phosphate concentration. Isoelectric focusing reveals that this form of the receptor focuses at pH 5.5. Further, the cytosolic form of the receptor exhibits minimal binding affinity for polyanions such as DNA-cellulose. Its Stokes radius is 77 A and the mol. wt is approximately 331,000. Following exposure to in vitro activating conditions (including elevated ionic strength or temperature), the liganded receptor exhibits much lower affinity for DEAE-cellulose (elution at 35-55 mM potassium phosphate concentration). Other alterations in properties of the activated receptor, after partial purification, include sedimentation at 3.9 S in hypotonic sucrose gradients, binding to polyanions (DNA-cellulose), and an isoelectric point at pH 7.2. This receptor has a Stokes radius of 58 A and a mol wt of 98,000. A degraded form, with a mol. wt of approximately 57,000 and high affinity for polyanions, was the major form of the receptor obtained if appropriate precautions to prevent or remove proteolytic activity were not observed during purification and/or characterization of the activated receptor.     

Effect of thioredoxin reductase 1 on glucocorticoid receptor activity in human outer root sheath cells

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common disease of patchy hair loss on the scalp that can progress to cover the entire scalp and eventually the entire body. Intralesional injection of corticosteroids is the first-line therapy for adult patients, however some patients do not respond to glucocorticoid treatment effectively. To delineate the molecular mechanism underlying glucocorticoid insensitivity, we examined the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1). In some case of glucocorticoid-resistant AA patients, the expression of TrxR1 was decreased in outer root sheath (ORS). We then investigated the effect of TrxR1 on GR activity using recombinant adenoviruses. Overexpression of TrxR1 markedly increased GR activity in ORS cells cultured in vitro. In addition, TrxR1 protected GR activity against H(2)O(2). Finally, TrxR1-enhanced GR activity was significantly inhibited by the overexpression of dominant negative form of Trx (Trx(C32S/C35S)). These results suggest that decreased TrxR1 may be one putative cause for glucocorticoid resistance in AA, through the impact on intracellular redox system.     

Overexpression of full-length human glucocorticoid receptor in Spodoptera frugiperda cells using the baculovirus expression vector system

We have expressed a full-length human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells using the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). The level of expression is approximately 100-fold greater than in CEM-C7 cells. Between 0.5-1.0 mg hGR can be generated per liter of Sf9 cell culture. The expressed hGR is capable of binding glucocorticoids with specificity and high affinity. Covalent labeling with 3H-dexamethasone mesylate and Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antibody indicate that the molecular weight of the expressed protein is approximately 94 k. The nonactivated receptor sediments as a 8-9S complex in sucrose gradients and can be heat activated to a 4S form. The activated receptor is capable of retarding the migration of a 23 base-pair DNA fragment containing the glucocorticoid response element from the tyrosine aminotransferase gene. These data indicate that the expressed GR displays characteristics identical to those of GR from mammalian cells. By scaling up this culture we can, for the first time, obtain enough purified full-length receptor for crystallographic and functional studies which could provide new insight into exactly how hGR works.     

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 interacts with the glucocorticoid receptor complex and affects glucocorticoid dependent signaling

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) forms part of a multiprotein complex consisting of chaperones and proteins active in glucocorticoid signaling and other pathways. By immunoaffinity purification of GR, followed by Edman sequencing and Western blotting, we identified the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) as a GR-interacting protein in rat liver and hepatoma cells. Flt3 interacts with both non-liganded and liganded GR. The DNA-binding domain of GR is sufficient for Flt3 interaction as shown by GST-pull down experiments. Studies of the effects of Flt3 and its ligand FL in glucocorticoid-driven reporter-gene assays in Cos7 cells, show that co-transfection with Flt3 and FL potentiates glucocorticoid effects. Treatment with FL had no effect on GR location and Dex induced translocation of GR was unaffected by FL. In summary, GR and Flt3 interact, affecting GR signaling. This novel cross-talk between GR and a hematopoietic growth factor might also imply glucocorticoid effects on Flt3-mediated signaling.     

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha agonist-induced down-regulation of hepatic glucocorticoid receptor expression in SD rats

It was reported that glucocorticoid production was inhibited by fenofibrate through suppression of type-1 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase gene expression in liver. The inhibition might be a negative-feedback regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), which is quickly induced by glucocorticoid in the liver. However, it is not clear if GR expression is changed by fenofibrate-induced PPARα activation. In this study, we tested this possibility in the liver of Sprague-Dawley rats. GR expression was reduced by fenofibrate in a time- and does-dependent manner. The inhibition was observed in liver, but not in fat and muscle. The corticosterone level in the blood was increased significantly by fenofibrate. These effects of fenofibrate were abolished by PPARα inhibitor MK886, suggesting that fenofibrate activated through PPARα. In conclusion, inhibition of GR expression may represent a new molecular mechanism for the negative feedback regulation of GR activity by PPARα.     

Stoichiometric analysis of the specific interaction of the glucocorticoid receptor with DNA

Purified preparations of activated glucocorticoid X receptor complex (GR) contain a Mr 94,000 hormone-binding polypeptide co-purifying together with a Mr 72,000 non-hormone-binding polypeptide (Wrange, O., Okret, S., Radojcic, M., Carlstedt-Duke, J., and Gustafsson, J.-A. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 4534-4541). GR binds selectively to discrete regions of DNA in mouse mammary tumor virus (Payvar, F., DeFranco, D., Firestone, G.L., Edgar, B., Wrange, O., Okret, S., Gustafsson, J.-A., and Yamamoto, K. R. (1983) Cell 35, 381-392). Such GR-binding DNA fragments were used to measure the stoichiometry of GR to DNA. Quantitative DNaseI protection "footprinting" analysis was used to ensure that saturation conditions for specific DNA-binding were achieved. Glycerol density gradient centrifugation was used to quantitate Mr 94,000 binding to specific and nonspecific DNA sites. One Mr 94,000 entity was bound per specific DNA site. A modified GR purification procedure resulted in increased amounts of Mr 72,000 polypeptide (1.6:1, 94,000:72,000 molar ratio), compared to previous GR preparations. Glycerol gradient centrifugation followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the specific GR X DNA complex contained similar amounts of Mr 94,000 and Mr 72,000 polypeptide. It is as yet uncertain if the Mr 72,000 polypeptide is a functional subunit of GR or a co-purifying contaminant only.     

Expression, purification, and characterization of multiple, multifunctional human glucocorticoid receptor proteins

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a nuclear receptor protein that plays a central role in glucose homeostasis, the stress response, control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and immuno-inflammatory processes via binding of the natural steroid, cortisol. GR is a well-validated drug target and continues to be an important target for new drug discovery efforts. Here, we describe a basic and simple method for Escherichia coli expression and purification of a variety of human GR proteins that contain all three of the functional domains of the protein: the activation function-1 domain, the DNA-binding domain, and the ligand-binding domain. We present characterization data to show that these purified, multifunctional GR proteins are active for ligand, coactivator, and DNA-binding. The work presented here should serve as a reference for future mechanistic, structural and drug discovery efforts that require purified, full or near full length, GR protein.     

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody that probes the functional domains of the glucocorticoid receptor.

Monoclonal antibodies to the rat hepatic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were produced by using 4000-fold-purified unactivated rat hepatic GR as the immunogen in an immunization in vitro. Hybridomas were screened for anti-GR antibody production by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The antibody, 3A6, described here, is an IgM (lambda). The interaction of 3A6 with the purified GR was explored by sedimentation analysis, where a shift of the 9 S GR to a form with a higher s20,w value was demonstrated. Binding specificity and sensitivity were demonstrated by protein immunoblotting. 3A6 cross-reacted with all rat tissue glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) examined, except those of the brain. Species cross-reactivity was observed with other mammalian GRs (from human CEM-C7 cells and from pig and mouse liver). Immunocytochemical localization of the GR was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence in intact fixed cells, which demonstrated intense cytoplasmic staining in the absence of pretreatment with glucocorticoids and nuclear localization when cells were pretreated with glucocorticoids. This monoclonal antibody significantly inhibited steroid binding to unoccupied receptor and DNA binding of activated steroid-receptor complexes. Furthermore, preincubation of the purified activated GR complex with 3A6 prevented phosphorylation of the GR in vitro. Thus 3A6 differs from previous monoclonal antibodies to the GR in its capacity to cross-react with the human GR and by its specificity for an epitope on or near a functional domain of the GR.     

A napin-like polypeptide with translation-inhibitory, trypsin-inhibitory, antiproliferative and antibacterial activities from kale seeds.

A heterodimeric napin-like polypeptide with translation-inhibiting and antibacterial activities has been isolated from kale seeds. The purification procedure entailed ion-exchange chromatography on dielthylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion-exchange chromatography by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) on Mono S, and gel filtration by FPLC on Superdex 75. The napin-like polypeptide was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose but adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and Mono S. Its 7-kDa large subunit differs in N-terminal amino acid sequence from the 4-kDa small subunit. The polypeptide inhibited translation in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system with an IC50 of 37.5 nM. This activity was preserved between pH 5 and pH 11, and between 10 and 40 degrees C. It fell to a low level at pH 3 and pH 13 and at 70 degrees C. Antibacterial activity against Bacillus, Megabacterium, and Pseudomonas species and antiproliferative activity against leukemia L1210 cells were observed. However, the polypeptide did not exert antifungal, ribonuclease, or protease activity.