Differential regulation of steroidogenic enzyme genes by TRα signaling in testicular Leydig cells

Mol Endocrinol. 2014 Jun;28(6):822-33. doi: 10.1210/me.2013-1150. Epub 2014 Apr 11.

Abstract

Thyroid hormone signaling has long been implicated in mammalian testicular function, affecting steroidogenesis in testicular Leydig cells. However, its molecular mechanism is not well understood. Here, we investigated the molecular action of thyroid hormone receptor-α (TRα) on mouse testicular steroidogenesis. TRα/thyroid hormone (T3) signaling differentially affected the expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes, mainly regulating their promoter activity. TRα directly regulated the promoter activity of the cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase gene, elevating its expression in the presence of T3. TRα also indirectly regulated the expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes, such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, by modulating the transactivation of Nur77 on steroidogenic enzyme gene promoters through protein-protein interaction. TRα enhanced Nur77 transactivation by excluding histone deacetylases from Nur77 in the absence of T3, whereas liganded TRα inhibited Nur77 transactivation, likely due to interfering with the recruitment of coactivator such as the steroid receptor coactivator-1 to Nur77. Together, these findings suggest a role of TRα/T3 in testicular steroidogenesis and may provide molecular mechanisms for the differential regulation of steroidogenic enzyme genes by thyroid hormone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cyclic AMP / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Histone Deacetylases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Leydig Cells / enzymology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1 / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Response Elements
  • Signal Transduction
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / genetics*
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / metabolism
  • Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha / metabolism*
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Triiodothyronine / physiology

Substances

  • Nr4a1 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1
  • Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha
  • Triiodothyronine
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase
  • Histone Deacetylases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-2012R1A2A2A01008388) and by a grant from the Korea Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (A100304). E.P. and Y.K. were supported by the Brain Korea 21 Research Fellowship.