Open AccessThe Receptor-DNA Complex Determines the Retinoid Response: a Mechanism for the Diversification of the Ligand Signal
Author(s) -
N La Vista-Picard,
Peter D. Hobbs,
Magnus Pfahl,
Marcia I. Dawson
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.16.8.4137
Subject(s) - retinoid x receptor , retinoid x receptor alpha , biology , retinoid , retinoid x receptor beta , retinoic acid receptor , retinoic acid , retinoid x receptor gamma , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , response element , ligand (biochemistry) , biochemistry , transcription factor , nuclear receptor , gene , gene expression , promoter
To obtain insights into the principles governing the complex biological responses to retinoids, we have analyzed the ligand sensitivities of various retinoid receptor-DNA complexes. We find that different retinoid receptor heterodimers show distinct activation patterns with various response elements while a given heterodimer can be activated at different retinoic acid concentrations on different response elements. In vitro binding experiments suggest that the same retinoic acid receptor-retinoid X receptor (RAR-RXR) heterodimer can have different ligand affinities, depending on the response element it is bound to. The differential responses of a particular receptor heterodimer with various retinoic acid responsive elements can be enhanced through the use of conformationally restricted retinoids. RAR- and RXR-selective retinoids can also synergistically activate the receptor heterodimers, indicating that both partners in the heterodimer can contribute to ligand-induced transcriptional activation. However, the relative influence of the RAR or RXR partner is specific for each response element. Together, our data demonstrate that it is the receptor-DNA complex and not the receptor alone that determines the ligand response. This flexibility allows for a highly pleiotropic retinoid response. Furthermore, conformationally restricted retinoids can accentuate the differential responses and exhibit a certain degree of gene selectivity by differentially activating the RAR or RXR component in the context of a given response element.