Endogenous ligands for nuclear receptors: digging deeper.
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are hormone-sensing transcription factors that translate dietary or endocrine signals into changes in gene expression. Therefore, the adoption of orphan NRs through the identification of their endogenous ligands is a key element for our understanding of their biology. In this minireview, we give an update on recent progress in regard to endogenous ligands for a cluster of NRs with high sequence homology, namely peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ, Rev-erbα, and related receptors. This knowledge about the nature and physiology of these ligands may create new opportunities for therapeutic drug development.
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition and Center for Cardiovascular Research, Institute of Pharmacology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany. michael.schupp@charite.de
Michael
M
Schupp
Mitchell A
MA
Lazar
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
D008024:Ligands; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear