Residues of the human nuclear vitamin D receptor that form hydrogen bonding interactions with the three hydroxyl groups of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

Most of the biological effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (hormone D) are mediated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). Hormone binding induces conformational changes in VDR that enable the receptor to activate gene transcription. It is known that residues S237 and R274 form hydrogen bonds with the 1-hydroxyl group of hormone D, while residues Y143 and S278, and residues H305 and H397 form hydrogen bonds with the 3-hydroxyl and the 25-hydroxyl groups of the hormone. A series of VDR mutations were constructed (S237A, R274A, R274Q, Y143F, Y143A, S278A, H305A, and H397F; double mutants: S237A/R274A, Y143F/S278A, Y143A/S278A, and H305A/H397F). The relative binding affinities of the wild-type and variant VDRs were assessed. All of the mutants except H397F resulted in lower binding affinity compared to wild-type VDR. Binding to hormone was barely detectable in Y143F, H305A, and H305A/H397F mutants, and undetectable in mutants R274A, R274Q, Y143A, S237A/R274A, and Y143A/S278A, indicating the importance of these residues. Ability to activate gene transcription was also assessed. All of the VDR mutants, except the single mutant S278A, required higher doses of hormone D for half-maximal response. Defining the role of hormone D-VDR binding will lead to a better understanding of the vitamin D signal transduction pathway.

Role of residues 143 and 278 of the human nuclear Vitamin D receptor in the full-length and Delta165-215 deletion mutant.

Most of the actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] are mediated by binding to the Vitamin D nuclear receptor (VDR). The crystal structure of a deletion mutant (Delta165-215) of the VDR ligand-binding domain (LBD) bound to 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) indicates that amino acid residues tyrosine-143 and serine-278 form hydrogen bonding interactions with the 3-hydroxyl group of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3). Studies of VDR and three mutants (Y143F, S278A, and Y143F/S278A) did not indicate any differences in the binding affinity between the variant receptors and the wild-type receptor. This might indicate that the 3-hydroxyl group binds differently to the full-length VDR than the to deletion mutant. To further investigate, four deletion VDR mutants were constructed: VDR(Delta165-215), VDR(Delta165-215) (Y143F), VDR(Delta165-215) (S278A), VDR(Delta165-215) (Y143F/S278A). There were no significant differences in binding affinity between the wild-type receptor and the deletion mutants except for VDR(Delta165-215) (Y143F/S278A). In gene activation assays, VDR constructs with the single mutation Y143F and the double mutation Y143F/S278A, but not the single mutation S278A required higher doses of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) for half-maximal response. This suggests that there are some minor structural and functional differences between the wild-type VDR and the Delta165-215 deletion mutant and that Y143 residue is more important for receptor function than residue S278.