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1.
Comput Biol Chem ; 112: 108157, 2024 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39047594

ABSTRACT

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a crucial plant hormone that is naturally produced in various mammalian tissues and holds significant potential as a therapeutic molecule in humans. ABA is selected for this study due to its known roles in essential human metabolic processes, such as glucose homeostasis, immune responses, cardiovascular system, and inflammation regulation. Despite its known importance, the molecular mechanism underlying ABA's action remain largely unexplored. This study employed computational techniques to identify potential human ABA receptors. We screened 64 candidate molecules using online servers and performed molecular docking to assess binding affinity and interaction types with ABA. The stability and dynamics of the best complexes were investigated using molecular dynamics simulation over a 100 ns time period. Root mean square fluctuations (RMSF), root mean square deviation (RMSD), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA), radius of gyration (Rg), free energy landscape (FEL), and principal component analysis (PCA) were analyzed. Next, the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method was employed to calculate the binding energies of the complexes based on the simulated data. Our study successfully pinpointed four key receptors responsible for ABA signaling (androgen receptor, glucocorticoid receptor, mineralocorticoid receptor, and retinoic acid receptor beta) that have a strong affinity for binding with ABA and remained structurally stable throughout the simulations. The simulations with Hydralazine as an unrelated ligand were conducted to validate the specificity of the identified receptors for ABA. The findings of this study can contribute to further experimental validation and a better understanding of how ABA functions in humans.


Subject(s)
Abscisic Acid , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Abscisic Acid/chemistry , Abscisic Acid/metabolism , Humans , Molecular Docking Simulation , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Androgen/metabolism , Receptors, Androgen/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Retinoic Acid/metabolism , Receptors, Retinoic Acid/chemistry
2.
Physiol Rep ; 9(15): e14971, 2021 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34350730

ABSTRACT

Individuals with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A correlation between plasma aldosterone and hyperinsulinemia has been demonstrated in vivo, and hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are independently associated with the development of cardiovascular complications. We investigated if mineralocorticoid blockade (Eplerenone) improves insulin sensitivity in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls. We included 13 participants with type 2 diabetes (<5 years; male/female, Caucasians) and 10 healthy control participants (male/female, Caucasians). On 2 experimental days, before and at the end of the 8 weeks of treatment with mineralocorticoid blockade, a two-stage hyperinsulinemic-isoglycemic clamp (20 and 50 mU∙m-2 min-1 ) was performed for the determination of insulin sensitivity. No change in insulin sensitivity was detected at the end of the mineralocorticoid blockade in the individuals with type 2 diabetes or the healthy controls. Both before and at the end of the treatment with mineralocorticoid blockade, the individuals with type 2 diabetes had a lower insulin sensitivity compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, mineralocorticoid receptor blockade does not appear to improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with type 2 diabetes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03017703. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03017703.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Eplerenone/therapeutic use , Insulin Resistance , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/therapeutic use , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Blood Glucose/analysis , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Insulin/metabolism , Male , Middle Aged
3.
Int J Mol Sci ; 22(11)2021 Jun 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34200377

ABSTRACT

High levels of aldosterone (Aldo) trigger oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction independent of effects on blood pressure. We sought to determine whether Aldo disrupts Nrf2 signaling, the main transcriptional factor involved in antioxidant responses that aggravate cell injury. Thoracic aorta from male C57Bl/6J mice and cultured human endothelial cells (EA.hy926) were stimulated with Aldo (100 nM) in the presence of tiron [reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, eplerenone [mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist], and L-sulforaphane (SFN; Nrf2 activator). Thoracic aortas were also isolated from mice infused with Aldo (600 µg/kg per day) for 14 days. Aldo decreased endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and increased ROS generation, effects prevented by tiron and MR blockade. Pharmacological activation of Nrf2 with SFN abrogated Aldo-induced vascular dysfunction and ROS generation. In EA.hy926 cells, Aldo increased ROS generation, which was prevented by eplerenone, tiron, and SFN. At short times, Aldo-induced ROS generation was linked to increased Nrf2 activation. However, after three hours, Aldo decreased the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. Increased Keap1 protein expression, but not activation of p38 MAPK, was linked to Aldo-induced reduced Nrf2 activity. Arteries from Aldo-infused mice also exhibited decreased nuclear Nrf2 and increased Keap1 expression. Our findings suggest that Aldo reduces vascular Nrf2 transcriptional activity by Keap1-dependent mechanisms, contributing to mineralocorticoid-induced vascular dysfunction.


Subject(s)
Aldosterone/pharmacology , Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/metabolism , NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Vascular Diseases/pathology , Animals , Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects , Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/pathology , Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/genetics , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Vascular Diseases/chemically induced , Vascular Diseases/metabolism
4.
J Chem Inf Model ; 61(7): 3583-3592, 2021 07 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34228431

ABSTRACT

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a nuclear receptor whose endogenous ligands are mineralocorticoids, a type of steroid hormone. The activating S810L mutation is known to cause severe early-onset and pregnancy-related hypertension. Progesterone binds to the wild-type (WT) MR as a passive antagonist with fast dissociation; however, it binds to the S810L mutant as a full agonist with slow dissociation. The switch in the biological activity of progesterone is considered to be one of the causes of the disease. First, we used steered molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the dissociation process of progesterone for the WT and the S810L mutant. Progesterone in the WT dissociated from the ligand-binding pocket with a weak force in comparison with progesterone in the S810L mutant due to the large inflow of water molecules into the pocket. Therefore, we used conventional molecular dynamics simulations for the ligand-free structures of the WT and the S810L mutant to investigate the effect of the mutation on the inflow of water. In the WT, water molecules enter the ligand-binding pocket in two ways: in the vicinity of (i) Arg817 and (ii) Ser810. In contrast, few water molecules enter the pocket in the S810L mutant because of the large size and hydrophobic nature of the Leu810 side chain. Fast dissociation is a common feature among passive antagonists of MR; therefore, we inferred that the water inflow could be responsible for the dissociation kinetics of progesterone in the WT and the S810L mutant.


Subject(s)
Hypertension , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid , Water , Female , Humans , Ligands , Mutation , Pregnancy , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics
5.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol ; 210: 105845, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33652098

ABSTRACT

Orthologs of human glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and human mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) first appear in cartilaginous fishes. Subsequently, the MR and GR diverged to respond to different steroids: the MR to aldosterone and the GR to cortisol and corticosterone. We report that cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone activate full-length elephant shark GR, and progesterone, which activates elephant shark MR, does not activate elephant shark GR. However, progesterone inhibits steroid binding to elephant shark GR, but not to human GR. Together, this indicates partial functional divergence of elephant shark GR from the MR. Deletion of the N-terminal domain (NTD) from elephant shark GR (truncated GR) reduced the response to corticosteroids, while truncated and full-length elephant shark MR had similar responses to corticosteroids. Swapping of NTDs of elephant shark GR and MR yielded an elephant shark MR chimera with full-length GR-like increased activation by corticosteroids and progesterone compared to full-length elephant shark MR. Elephant shark MR NTD fused to GR DBD + LBD had similar activation as full-length MR, indicating that the MR NTD lacked GR-like NTD activity. We propose that NTD activation of human GR evolved early in GR divergence from the MR.


Subject(s)
Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Allosteric Regulation , Animals , Corticosterone/metabolism , Corticosterone/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Evolution, Molecular , HEK293 Cells , Hormone Antagonists/pharmacology , Humans , Hydrocortisone/metabolism , Hydrocortisone/pharmacology , Mifepristone/pharmacology , Progesterone/administration & dosage , Progesterone/metabolism , Progesterone/pharmacology , Protein Domains , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism , Sharks , Transcriptional Activation/drug effects , Transcriptional Activation/physiology
6.
FEBS Lett ; 594(10): 1615-1623, 2020 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31991486

ABSTRACT

Activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has long been considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It has been reported that the novel MR blocker esaxerenone shows high potency and selectivity for MR in vitro as well as great antihypertensive and renoprotective effects in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats. Here, we determined the cocrystal structure of the MR ligand-binding domain (MR-LBD) with esaxerenone and found that esaxerenone binds to MR-LBD in a unique manner with large side-chain rearrangements, distinct from those of previously published MR antagonists. This structure also displays an antagonist form that has not been observed for MR previously. Such a unique binding mode of esaxerenone provides great insight into the novelty, potency, and selectivity of this novel antihypertensive drug.


Subject(s)
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/chemistry , Protein Domains , Pyrroles/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Sulfones/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Crystallography, X-Ray , Eplerenone/chemistry , Humans , Ligands , Models, Molecular , Spironolactone/chemistry , Substrate Specificity
7.
PLoS One ; 15(1): e0227520, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31923266

ABSTRACT

Glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) are believed to classically bind DNA as homodimers or MR-GR heterodimers to influence gene regulation in response to pulsatile basal or stress-evoked glucocorticoid secretion. Pulsed corticosterone presentation reveals MR and GR co-occupy DNA only at the peaks of glucocorticoid oscillations, allowing interaction. GR DNA occupancy was pulsatile, while MR DNA occupancy was prolonged through the inter-pulse interval. In mouse mammary 3617 cells MR-GR interacted in the nucleus and at a chromatin-associated DNA binding site. Interactions occurred irrespective of ligand type and receptors formed complexes of higher order than heterodimers. We also detected MR-GR interactions ex-vivo in rat hippocampus. An expanded range of MR-GR interactions predicts structural allostery allowing a variety of transcriptional outcomes and is applicable to the multiple tissue types that co-express both receptors in the same cells whether activated by the same or different hormones.


Subject(s)
Cell Nucleus/metabolism , DNA/metabolism , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Allosteric Regulation , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Binding Sites , Cell Line , Chromatin/metabolism , Corticosterone/pharmacology , DNA/chemistry , Dimerization , Hippocampus/metabolism , Male , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs/drug effects , Protein Structure, Quaternary , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Sequence Alignment , Ultradian Rhythm
8.
Endocr Relat Cancer ; 26(8): R479-R497, 2019 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31252411

ABSTRACT

Nuclear receptors are transcription factors that play critical roles in development, homeostasis and metabolism in all multicellular organisms. An important family of nuclear receptors comprises those members that respond to steroid hormones, and which is subdivided in turn into estrogen receptor (ER) isoforms α and ß (NR3A1 and A2, respectively), and a second subfamily of so-called oxosteroid receptors. The latter includes the androgen receptor (AR/NR3C4), the glucocorticoid receptor (GR/NR3C1), the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR/NR3C2) and the progesterone receptor (PR/NR3C3). Here we review recent advances in our understanding of the structure-and-function relationship of steroid nuclear receptors and discuss their implications for the etiology of human diseases. We focus in particular on the role played by AR dysregulation in both prostate cancer (PCa) and androgen insensitivity syndromes (AIS), but also discuss conditions linked to mutations of the GR gene as well as those in a non-steroidal receptor, the thyroid hormone receptor (TR). Finally, we explore how these recent results might be exploited for the development of novel and selective therapeutic strategies.


Subject(s)
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome/metabolism , Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Receptors, Androgen/metabolism , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism , Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome/etiology , Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome/pathology , Humans , Male , Prostatic Neoplasms/etiology , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Protein Multimerization , Receptors, Androgen/chemistry , Receptors, Androgen/genetics , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/chemistry , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Progesterone/chemistry , Receptors, Progesterone/genetics , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/chemistry , Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/genetics , Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/metabolism , Steroids/metabolism
9.
Life Sci Alliance ; 2(1)2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30745312

ABSTRACT

Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of death for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Here, we find that the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) can share common ligands but play distinct roles in dystrophic heart and skeletal muscle pathophysiology. Comparisons of their ligand structures indicate that the Δ9,11 modification of the first-in-class drug vamorolone enables it to avoid interaction with a conserved receptor residue (N770/N564), which would otherwise activate transcription factor properties of both receptors. Reporter assays show that vamorolone and eplerenone are MR antagonists, whereas prednisolone is an MR agonist. Macrophages, cardiomyocytes, and CRISPR knockout myoblasts show vamorolone is also a dissociative GR ligand that inhibits inflammation with improved safety over prednisone and GR-specific deflazacort. In mice, hyperaldosteronism activates MR-driven hypertension and kidney phenotypes. We find that genetic dystrophin loss provides a second hit for MR-mediated cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy model mice, as aldosterone worsens fibrosis, mass and dysfunction phenotypes. Vamorolone successfully prevents MR-activated phenotypes, whereas prednisolone activates negative MR and GR effects. In conclusion, vamorolone targets dual nuclear receptors to treat inflammation and cardiomyopathy with improved safety.


Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Cardiomyopathies/drug therapy , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/therapeutic use , Myocarditis/drug therapy , Pregnadienediols/therapeutic use , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/drug effects , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/drug effects , Aldosterone/chemistry , Aldosterone/pharmacology , Aldosterone/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , CRISPR-Associated Protein 9/genetics , Computer Simulation , Disease Models, Animal , Eplerenone/chemistry , Eplerenone/pharmacology , Eplerenone/therapeutic use , Gene Knockout Techniques , Hydrogen Bonding , Macrophages/drug effects , Macrophages/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/chemistry , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/drug therapy , Myocarditis/metabolism , Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Prednisolone/chemistry , Prednisolone/pharmacology , Prednisolone/therapeutic use , Pregnadienediols/chemistry , Pregnadienediols/pharmacology , RAW 264.7 Cells , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/agonists , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry
10.
Sci Rep ; 8(1): 15876, 2018 10 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30367157

ABSTRACT

Analysis of a genome-scale RNA interference screen of host factors affecting herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) revealed that the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) inhibits HSV-1 replication. As a ligand-activated transcription factor the MR regulates sodium transport and blood pressure in the kidney in response to aldosterone, but roles have recently been elucidated for the MR in other cellular processes. Here, we show that the MR and other members of the mineralocorticoid signalling pathway including HSP90 and FKBP4, possess anti-viral activity against HSV-1 independent of their effect on sodium transport, as shown by sodium channel inhibitors. Expression of the MR is upregulated upon infection in an interferon (IFN) and viral transcriptional activator VP16-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the MR and VP16, together with the cellular co-activator Oct-1, transactivate the hormone response element (HRE) present in the MR promoter and those of its transcriptional targets. As the MR induces IFN expression, our data suggests the MR is involved in a positive feedback loop that controls HSV-1 infection.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Herpesvirus 1, Human/physiology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Virus Replication/drug effects , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , HeLa Cells , Herpes Simplex/drug therapy , Herpes Simplex/pathology , Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65/genetics , Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65/metabolism , Herpesvirus 1, Human/drug effects , Herpesvirus 1, Human/isolation & purification , Humans , Interferons/pharmacology , Interferons/therapeutic use , Octamer Transcription Factor-1/genetics , Octamer Transcription Factor-1/metabolism , Promoter Regions, Genetic , RNA Interference , RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Transcriptional Activation/drug effects
11.
J Med Chem ; 61(3): 1086-1097, 2018 02 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29300474

ABSTRACT

A novel series of morpholine-based nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists is reported. Starting from a pyrrolidine HTS hit 9 that possessed modest potency but excellect selectivity versus related nuclear hormone receptors, a series of libraries led to identification of morpholine lead 10. After further optimization, cis disubstituted morpholine 22 was discovered, which showed a 45-fold boost in binding affinity and corresponding functional potency compared to 13. While 22 had high clearance in rat, it provided sufficient exposure at high doses to favorably assess in vivo efficacy (increased urinary Na+/K+ ratio) and safety. In contrast to rat, the dog and human MetID and PK profiles of 22 were adequate, suggesting that it could be suitable as a potential clinical asset.


Subject(s)
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/chemistry , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , Morpholinos/chemistry , Morpholinos/pharmacology , Oxazines/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Animals , Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Female , Humans , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Models, Molecular , Protein Conformation , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Structure-Activity Relationship
12.
Endocrinology ; 158(11): 4047-4063, 2017 11 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28938454

ABSTRACT

The enzyme 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11ß-HSD2) has an essential role in aldosterone target tissues, conferring aldosterone selectivity for the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by converting 11ß-hydroxyglucocorticoids to inactive 11-ketosteroids. Congenital deficiency of 11ß-HSD2 causes a form of salt-sensitive hypertension known as the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess. The disease phenotype, which ranges from mild to severe, correlates well with reduction in enzyme activity. Furthermore, polymorphisms in the 11ß-HSD2 coding gene (HSD11B2) have been linked to high blood pressure and salt sensitivity, major cardiovascular risk factors. 11ß-HSD2 expression is controlled by different factors such as cytokines, sex steroids, or vasopressin, but posttranslational modulation of its activity has not been explored. Analysis of 11ß-HSD2 sequence revealed a consensus site for conjugation of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) peptide, a major posttranslational regulatory event in several cellular processes. Our results demonstrate that 11ß-HSD2 is SUMOylated at lysine 266. Non-SUMOylatable mutant K266R showed slightly higher substrate affinity and decreased Vmax, but no effects on protein stability or subcellular localization. Despite mild changes in enzyme activity, mutant K266R was unable to prevent cortisol-dependent MR nuclear translocation. The same effect was achieved by coexpression of wild-type 11ß-HSD2 with sentrin-specific protease 1, a protease that catalyzes SUMO deconjugation. In the presence of 11ß-HSD2-K266R, increased nuclear MR localization did not correlate with increased response to cortisol or increased recruitment of transcriptional coregulators. Taken together, our data suggests that SUMOylation of 11ß-HSD2 at residue K266 modulates cortisol-mediated MR nuclear translocation independently of effects on transactivation.


Subject(s)
11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2/metabolism , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Hydrocortisone/pharmacology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Sumoylation , 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2/chemistry , 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2/genetics , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , COS Cells , Chlorocebus aethiops , Humans , Models, Molecular , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs/genetics , Protein Transport/drug effects , Protein Transport/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Transcriptional Activation/drug effects
13.
Mol Cell Endocrinol ; 450: 74-82, 2017 07 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28454724

ABSTRACT

Stimulation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by aldosterone controls several physiological parameters including blood pressure, inflammation or metabolism. We previously showed that MR turnover constitutes a crucial regulatory step in the responses of renal epithelial cells to aldosterone. Here, we identified Protein Phosphatase 1 alpha (PP1α), as a novel cytoplasmic binding partner of MR that promotes the receptor activity. The RT-PCR expression mapping of PP1α reveals a high expression in the kidney, particularly in the distal part of the nephron. At the molecular level, we demonstrate that PP1α inhibits the ubiquitin ligase Mdm2 by dephosphorylation, preventing its interaction with MR. This results in the accumulation of the receptor due to reduction of its proteasomal degradation and consequently a greater aldosterone-induced Na+ uptake by renal cells. Thus, our findings describe an original mechanism involving a phosphatase in the regulation of aldosterone signaling and provide new and important insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the MR turnover.


Subject(s)
Aldosterone/metabolism , Kidney/metabolism , Protein Phosphatase 1/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Animals , Cell Line , Epithelial Cells/drug effects , Epithelial Cells/metabolism , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , Protein Binding/drug effects , Protein Domains , Protein Stability/drug effects , Proteolysis/drug effects , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sodium/metabolism , Transcription, Genetic/drug effects
14.
J Endocrinol ; 234(1): T93-T106, 2017 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28348114

ABSTRACT

Aldosterone and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) are key elements for maintaining fluid and electrolyte homeostasis as well as regulation of blood pressure. Loss-of-function mutations of the MR are responsible for renal pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 (PHA1), a rare disease of mineralocorticoid resistance presenting in the newborn with weight loss, failure to thrive, vomiting and dehydration, associated with hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis, despite extremely elevated levels of plasma renin and aldosterone. In contrast, a MR gain-of-function mutation has been associated with a familial form of inherited mineralocorticoid hypertension exacerbated by pregnancy. In addition to rare variants, frequent functional single nucleotide polymorphisms of the MR are associated with salt sensitivity, blood pressure, stress response and depression in the general population. This review will summarize our knowledge on MR mutations in PHA1, reporting our experience on the genetic diagnosis in a large number of patients performed in the last 10 years at a national reference center for the disease. We will also discuss the influence of rare MR variants on blood pressure and salt sensitivity as well as on stress and cognitive functions in the general population.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation/physiology , Pseudohypoaldosteronism/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Aldosterone/chemistry , Aldosterone/metabolism , Animals , Humans , Molecular Structure , Mutation , Pseudohypoaldosteronism/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics
15.
J Mol Model ; 23(3): 96, 2017 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28251412

ABSTRACT

Numerous steroids are essential plant, animal, and human hormones. The medical and industrial applications of these hormones require the identification of new synthetic routes, including biotransformations. The metabolic fate of a steroid can be complicated; it may be transformed into a variety of substituted derivatives. This may be because a steroid molecule can adopt several possible orientations in the binding pocket of a receptor or an enzyme. The present study, based on docking and molecular dynamics, shows that it is indeed possible for a steroid molecule to bind to a receptor binding site in two or more orientations (normal, head-to-tail reversed, upside down). Three steroids were considered: progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and 7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone. Two proteins were employed as hosts: the human mineralocorticoid receptor and a bacterial Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase. When the steroids were in nonstandard orientations, the estimated binding strength was found to be only moderately diminished and the network of hydrogen bonds between the steroid and the host was preserved.


Subject(s)
Dehydroepiandrosterone/analogs & derivatives , Dehydroepiandrosterone/chemistry , Progesterone/chemistry , Steroid Hydroxylases/chemistry , Binding Sites , Biotransformation/genetics , Dehydroepiandrosterone/biosynthesis , Humans , Hydrogen Bonding , Molecular Docking Simulation , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Progesterone/biosynthesis , Protein Binding , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Steroid Hydroxylases/genetics , Steroid Hydroxylases/metabolism , Substrate Specificity
16.
J Med Chem ; 60(7): 2629-2650, 2017 04 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28051871

ABSTRACT

Steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists are used for treatment of a range of human diseases, but they present challenging issues of complex chemical synthesis, undesirable physical properties, and poor selectivity along with unwanted side effects. Therefore, there is a great interest in the discovery of non-steroidal ligands able to bind to the ligand-binding domain of the MR and recruit different co-regulators to produce tissue-specific therapeutic effects. Several academic groups and pharmaceutical companies have been developing a series of non-steroidal ligands that consist of different chemical scaffolds, yielding MR antagonists currently evaluated in clinical studies for the treatment of congestive heart failure, hypertension, or diabetic nephropathy. The main focus of this Perspective is to review the reported structure-activity relationships of the different series of compounds, as well as the structural studies that contribute to a better understanding of the receptor active site and are also helpful for optimization processes.


Subject(s)
Drug Discovery , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/chemistry , Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Benzoxazines/chemistry , Benzoxazines/pharmacology , Dihydropyridines/chemistry , Dihydropyridines/pharmacology , Humans , Ligands , Macrolides/chemistry , Macrolides/pharmacology , Models, Molecular , Oxazolidinones/chemistry , Oxazolidinones/pharmacology , Peptides/chemistry , Peptides/pharmacology , Pyrazoles/chemistry , Pyrazoles/pharmacology , Pyrroles/chemistry , Pyrroles/pharmacology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Structure-Activity Relationship , Sulfonamides/chemistry , Sulfonamides/pharmacology
17.
J Mol Endocrinol ; 58(1): R33-R57, 2017 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27821439

ABSTRACT

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and mineralocorticoids regulate epithelial handling of electrolytes, and induces diverse effects on other tissues. Traditionally, the effects of MR were ascribed to ligand-receptor binding and activation of gene transcription. However, the MR also utilises a number of intracellular signalling cascades, often by transactivating unrelated receptors, to change cell function more rapidly. Although aldosterone is the physiological mineralocorticoid, it is not the sole ligand for MR. Tissue-selective and mineralocorticoid-specific effects are conferred through the enzyme 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2, cellular redox status and properties of the MR itself. Furthermore, not all aldosterone effects are mediated via MR, with implication of the involvement of other membrane-bound receptors such as GPER. This review will describe the ligands, receptors and intracellular mechanisms available for mineralocorticoid hormone and receptor signalling and illustrate their complex interactions in physiology and disease.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation , Mineralocorticoids/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Transcription, Genetic , Aldosterone/chemistry , Aldosterone/metabolism , Animals , Disease Susceptibility , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Homeostasis , Humans , Ligands , MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects , Mineralocorticoids/chemistry , Mineralocorticoids/pharmacology , Organ Specificity , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxidative Stress , Protein Binding , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Structure-Activity Relationship
18.
J Biol Chem ; 291(45): 23628-23644, 2016 Nov 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27650495

ABSTRACT

Glucocorticoids are commonly used to treat inflammatory disorders. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) can tether to inflammatory transcription factor complexes, such as NFκB and AP-1, and trans-repress the transcription of cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. In contrast, aldosterone and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) primarily promote cardiovascular inflammation by incompletely understood mechanisms. Although MR has been shown to weakly repress NFκB, its role in modulating AP-1 has not been established. Here, the effects of GR and MR on NFκB and AP-1 signaling were directly compared using a variety of ligands, two different AP-1 consensus sequences, GR and MR DNA-binding domain mutants, and siRNA knockdown or overexpression of core AP-1 family members. Both GR and MR repressed an NFκB reporter without influencing p65 or p50 binding to DNA. Likewise, neither GR nor MR affected AP-1 binding, but repression or activation of AP-1 reporters occurred in a ligand-, AP-1 consensus sequence-, and AP-1 family member-specific manner. Notably, aldosterone interactions with both GR and MR demonstrated a potential to activate AP-1. DNA-binding domain mutations that eliminated the ability of GR and MR to cis-activate a hormone response element-driven reporter variably affected the strength and polarity of these responses. Importantly, MR modulation of NFκB and AP-1 signaling was consistent with a trans-mechanism, and AP-1 effects were confirmed for specific gene targets in primary human cells. Steroid nuclear receptor trans-effects on inflammatory signaling are context-dependent and influenced by nuclear receptor conformation, DNA sequence, and the expression of heterologous binding partners. Aldosterone activation of AP-1 may contribute to its proinflammatory effects in the vasculature.


Subject(s)
NF-kappa B/immunology , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/immunology , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/immunology , Signal Transduction , Transcription Factor AP-1/immunology , Amino Acid Sequence , Base Sequence , DNA/chemistry , Gene Expression , Gene Expression Regulation , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/immunology , Mutation , Protein Domains , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics
19.
J Biol Chem ; 291(36): 19068-78, 2016 09 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27422824

ABSTRACT

Post-translational modification of steroid receptors allows fine-tuning different properties of this family of proteins, including stability, activation, or interaction with co-regulators. Recently, a novel effect of phosphorylation on steroid receptor biology was described. Phosphorylation of human mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) on Ser-843, a residue placed on the ligand binding domain, lowers affinity for agonists, producing inhibition of gene transactivation. We now show that MR inhibition by phosphorylation occurs even at high agonist concentration, suggesting that phosphorylation may also impair coupling between ligand binding and receptor activation. Our results demonstrate that agonists are able to induce partial nuclear translocation of MR but fail to produce transactivation due at least in part to impaired co-activator recruitment. The inhibitory effect of phosphorylation on MR acts in a dominant-negative manner, effectively amplifying its functional effect on gene transactivation.


Subject(s)
Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/agonists , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Transcriptional Activation/physiology , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus/genetics , Amino Acid Substitution , Animals , COS Cells , Cell Nucleus/genetics , Chlorocebus aethiops , Humans , Mice , Mutation, Missense , Phosphorylation , Protein Binding , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Transcriptional Activation/drug effects
20.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol ; 159: 31-40, 2016 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26907965

ABSTRACT

Mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) are descended from a common ancestral corticoid receptor. The basis for specificities of human MR for aldosterone and human GR for glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, bearing 17α-hydroxyl-groups, is incompletely understood. Differences in MR at S843 and L848 and GR at the corresponding P637 and Q642 have been proposed as important in their different responses to glucocorticoids with 17α-hydroxyl-groups. We investigated the impact of these residues on binding affinity (Ki) and transcriptional activation (EC50) of mutants MR-S843P, MR-L848Q and MR-S843P/L848Q and mutants GR-P637S, GR-Q642L and GR-P637S/Q642L in the presence of different corticosteroids. Aldosterone, cortisol and corticosterone had similar affinities for wild-type MR and all mutants, while dexamethasone had increased affinity for the three mutants. However, transactivation of MR-S843P and MR-S843P/L848Q by all four steroids was significantly lower than for wild-type MR. In contrast, transactivation of MR-L848Q tended to be 3-fold higher for cortisol and corticosterone and increased 7-fold for dexamethasone, indicating that MR-L848Q has an increased response to glucocorticoids, while retaining a strong response to aldosterone. Compared to wild-type GR, GR-P637S and GR-Q642L had increased affinities and significantly increased transcriptional activity with aldosterone and corticosterone, and GR-P637S had similar transcriptional activity with cortisol and dexamethasone, while GR-Q642L and GR-P637S/Q642L had a significant decrease in transcriptional activity with cortisol and dexamethasone. 3D-models of these MR and GR mutants revealed that dexamethasone and aldosterone, respectively, fit nicely into the steroid-binding pocket, consistent with the affinity of dexamethasone for MR mutants and aldosterone for GR mutants.


Subject(s)
Aldosterone/physiology , Hydrocortisone/physiology , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism , Transcriptional Activation , Amino Acid Substitution , Binding Sites , Conserved Sequence , Dexamethasone , Glutamine/chemistry , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Hydrogen Bonding , Leucine/chemistry , Models, Molecular , Mutagenesis, Site-Directed , Proline/chemistry , Protein Binding , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/chemistry , Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics , Serine/chemistry , Structural Homology, Protein
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