title: 3D structures and ligand specificities of nuclear xenobiotic receptors CAR, PXR and VDR.
abstract: The nuclear receptors constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) control a large array of genes that code for important proteins in humans including metabolic enzymes and transporters. 3D structures for the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of these receptors are abundantly available, providing valuable insights into the ligand-binding specificity as well as the activation mechanisms. The ligand-binding site of PXR is large and flexible, whereas those of CAR and VDR are compact and rigid, respectively. In general, the ligand profiles of the receptors are in agreement with the LBD structures. The crystal structures have greatly helped us to understand the promiscuity and/or specificity of CAR, PXR and VDR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China. bj.wu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Baojian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D000077297:Pregnane X Receptor; D011487:Protein Conformation; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000090702:Constitutive Androstane Receptor; D008024:Ligands; D000077297:Pregnane X Receptor; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid