Nuclear Receptor Coactivators Facilitate Vitamin D Receptor Homodimer Action on Direct Repeat Hormone Response Elements

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates target gene expression. Although VDR forms stable heterodimer complex with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) on vitamin D-response elements (VDREs), it is still not clear whether VDR/RXR heterodimers are the only VDR complexes responsible for vitamin D-mediated gene transcription. In this report, we analyzed the effect of nuclear receptor coactivators (SRC-1 and TRAM-1) on VDR homodimer and VDR/RXR heterodimer formation by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We found that VDR forms stable homodimers after interaction with the coactivators on a VDRE (DR+3). Of particular note, DR+4 and DR+5 hormone-response elements (HREs) may also support such interactions. Cotransfection experiments revealed further that the coactivators enhance ligand-induced VDR transcription on these elements. Our studies suggest the important role of VDR homodimers, in addition to VDR/RXR heterodimers, in vitamin D-induced transactivation. Thus, specific coactivator-VDR interactions on HREs may determine target gene transactivation.