title: Botanical compounds and their regulation of nuclear receptor action: the case of traditional Chinese medicine.
abstract: Nuclear receptors (NRs) are major pharmacological targets that allow an access to the mechanisms controlling gene regulation. As such, some NRs were identified as biological targets of active compounds contained in herbal remedies found in traditional medicines. We aim here to review this expanding literature by focusing on the informative articles regarding the mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). We exemplified well-characterized TCM action mediated by NR such as steroid receptors (ER, GR, AR), metabolic receptors (PPAR, LXR, FXR, PXR, CAR) and RXR. We also provided, when possible, examples from other traditional medicines. From these, we draw a parallel between TCMs and phytoestrogens or endocrine disrupting chemicals also acting via NR. We define common principle of action and highlight the potential and limits of those compounds. TCMs, by finely tuning physiological reactions in positive and negative manners, could act, in a subtle but efficient way, on NR sensors and their transcriptional network.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon; Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS UMR 5242; Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France.; School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon; Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS UMR 5242; Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonneton
authors.affiliation: School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon; Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS UMR 5242; Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France.. Electronic address: Vincent.Laudet@ens-lyon.fr.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laudet
mesh_terms: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid
keywords: Agonist; Antagonist; Nuclear receptor; Pharmacology; Traditional Chinese medicine