Quantitative analysis of the interaction of constitutive androstane receptor with chemicals and steroid receptor coactivator 1 using surface plasmon resonance biosensor systems: a case study of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) and the mouse.

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) not only displays a high basal transcriptional activity but also acts as a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor. It is known that CAR exhibits different ligand profiles across species. However, the mechanisms underlying CAR activation by chemicals and the species-specific responses are not fully understood. The objectives of this study are to establish a high-throughput tool to screen CAR ligands and to clarify how CAR proteins from the Baikal seal (bsCAR) and the mouse (mCAR) interact with chemicals and steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC1). We developed the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system to assess quantitatively the interaction of CAR with potential ligands and SRC1. The ligand-binding domain (LBD) of bsCAR and mCAR was synthesized in a wheat germ cell-free system. The purified CAR LBD was then immobilized on the sensor chip for the SPR assay, and the kinetics of direct interaction of CARs with ligand candidates was measured. Androstanol and androstenol, estrone, 17β-estradiol, TCPOBOP, and CITCO showed compound-specific but similar affinities for both CARs. The CAR-SRC1 interaction was ligand dependent but exhibited a different ligand profile between the seal and the mouse. The results of SRC1 interaction assay accounted for those of our previous in vitro CAR-mediated transactivation assay. In silico analyses also supported the results of CAR-SRC1 interaction; there is little structural difference in the ligand-binding pocket of bsCAR and mCAR, but there is a distinct discrimination in the helix 11 and 12 of these receptors, suggesting that the interaction of ligand-bound CAR and SRC1 is critical for determining species-specific and ligand-dependent transactivation over the basal activity. The SPR assays demonstrated a potential as a high-throughput screening tool of CAR ligands.

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title: A new orphan member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that interacts with a subset of retinoic acid response elements.
abstract: We have identified and characterized a new orphan member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, called MB67, which is predominantly expressed in liver. MB67 binds and transactivates the retinoic acid response elements that control expression of the retinoic acid receptor beta 2 and alcohol dehydrogenase 3 genes, both of which consist of a direct repeat hexamers related to the consensus AGGTCA, separated by 5 bp. MB67 binds these elements as a heterodimer with the 9-cis-retinoic acid receptor, RXR. However, MB67 does not bind or activate other retinoic acid response elements with alternative hexamer arrangements or any of several other wild-type and synthetic hormone response elements examined. The transactivation of retinoic acid response elements by MB67 is weaker than that conferred by the retinoic acid receptors but does not require the presence of all-trans retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, or any exogenously added ligand. We propose that MB67 plays an important role in the complex network of proteins that govern response to retinoic acid and its metabolites.

title: Nuclear receptors CAR and PXR: Molecular, functional, and biomedical aspects.
abstract: Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors sharing a common evolutionary history and having similar sequence features at the protein level. Selective ligand(s) for some NRs is not known, therefore these NRs have been named "orphan receptors". Whenever ligands have been recognized for any of the orphan receptor, it has been categorized and grouped as "adopted" orphan receptor. This group includes the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and the pregnane X receptor (PXR). They function as sensors of toxic byproducts derived from endogenous metabolites and of exogenous chemicals, in order to enhance their elimination. This unique function of CAR and PXR sets them apart from the steroid hormone receptors. The broad response profile has established that CAR and PXR are xenobiotic sensors that coordinately regulate xenobiotic clearance in the liver and intestine via induction of genes involved in drug and xenobiotic metabolism. In the past few years, research has revealed new and mostly unsuspected roles for CAR and PXR in modulating hormone, lipid, and energy homeostasis as well as cancer and liver steatosis. The purpose of this review is to highlight the structural and molecular bases of CAR and PXR impact on human health, providing information on mechanisms through which diet, chemical exposure, and environment ultimately impact health and disease.

title: Molecular Basis of the Intracellular Localization of the Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR)
abstract: Control of the intracellular localization of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) has more impact on the transcriptional activation of target genes by CAR ligands/activators, including medicines, environmental contaminants and endogenous metabolites, than the conformational change induced by ligand binding, because CAR, unlike other members of nuclear receptor superfamily, is constitutively active. Human CAR (hCAR) and rat CAR (rCAR) were comparatively studied, in primary hepatocytes and in immortal cells, to assess the functional domains controlling nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling and/or intracellular localization. There are two nuclear localization signals (NLSs) and two nuclear export signals (NESs) in rCAR as well as a cytoplasmic retention region (CRR), whereas hCAR has a single NLS and two NESs. A xenochemical response signal (XRS) controls the neighboring NLS, in a phenobarbital-responsive manner, in both rCAR and hCAR in vivo, but not in immortal cells.

title: The Nuclear Orphan Receptor CAR-Retinoid X Receptor Heterodimer Activates the Phenobarbital-Responsive Enhancer Module of the CYP2B Gene
abstract: PBREM, the phenobarbital-responsive enhancer module of the cytochrome P-450 Cyp2b10 gene, contains two potential nuclear receptor binding sites, NR1 and NR2. Consistent with the finding that anti-retinoid X receptor (RXR) could supershift the NR1-nuclear protein complex, DNA affinity chromatography with NR1 oligonucleotides enriched the nuclear orphan receptor RXR from the hepatic nuclear extracts of phenobarbital-treated mice. In addition to RXR, the nuclear orphan receptor CAR was present in the same enriched fraction. In the phenobarbital-treated mice, the binding of both CAR and RXR was rapidly increased before the induction of CYP2B10 mRNA. In vitro-translated CAR bound to NR1, but only in the presence of similarly prepared RXR. PBREM was synergistically activated by transfection of CAR and RXR in HepG2 and HEK293 cells when the NR1 site was functional. A CAR-RXR heterodimer has thus been characterized as atrans-acting factor for the phenobarbital-inducibleCyp2b10 gene.

title: The SRC family of nuclear receptor coactivators.
abstract: Nuclear hormone receptors are ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate genes critical to such biological processes as development, reproduction, and homeostasis. Interestingly, these receptors can function as molecular switches, alternating between states of transcriptional repression and activation, depending on the absence or presence of cognate hormone, respectively. In the absence of hormone, several nuclear receptors actively repress transcription of target genes via interactions with the nuclear receptor corepressors SMRT and NCoR. Upon binding of hormone, these corepressors dissociate away from the DNA-bound receptor, which subsequently recruits a nuclear receptor coactivator (NCoA) complex. Prominent among these coactivators is the SRC (steroid receptor coactivator) family, which consists of SRC-1, TIF2/GRIP1, and RAC3/ACTR/pCIP/AIB-1. These cofactors interact with nuclear receptors in a ligand-dependent manner and enhance transcriptional activation by the receptor via histone acetylation/methylation and recruitment of additional cofactors such as CBP/p300. This review focuses on the mechanism of action of SRC coactivators in terms of interactions with receptors and activation of transcription. Specifically, the roles of the highly conserved LXXLL motifs in mediating SRC function will be detailed. Additionally, potential diversity among SRC family members, as well as several recently cloned SRC-associated cofactors, will be discussed.

title: Amino Acids Important for Ligand Specificity of the Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor*
abstract: The human constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) is an important ligand-activated regulator of oxidative and conjugative enzymes and transport proteins. Because of the lack of a crystal structure of the ligand-binding domain (LBD), wide species differences in ligand specificity and the scarcity of well characterized ligands, the factors that determine CAR ligand specificity are not clear. To address this issue, we developed highly defined homology models of human CAR LBD to identify residues lining the ligand-binding pocket and to perform molecular dynamics simulations with known human CAR modulators. The roles of 22 LBD residues for basal activity, ligand selectivity, and interactions with co-regulators were studied using site-directed mutagenesis, mammalian co-transfection, and yeast two-hybrid assays. These studies identified several amino acids within helices 3 (Asn165), 5 (Val199), 11 (Tyr326, Ile330, and Gln331), and 12 (Leu343 and Ile346) that contribute to the high basal activity of human CAR. Unique residues within helices 3 (Ile164 and Asn165), 5 (Cys202 and His203), and 7 (Phe234 and Phe238) were found control the selectivity for CAR activators and inhibitors. A single residue in helix 7 (Phe243) appears to explain the human/mouse species difference in response of CAR to 17α-ethynyl-3,17β-estradiol.

title: Dual action of oestrogens on the mouse constitutive androstane receptor.
abstract: mCAR (mouse constitutive androstane receptor; NR1I3) controls the expression of cytochrome P450 as well as other enzymes involved in drug and steroid metabolism. The high basal activity of mCAR can be modulated by inhibitory steroids related to androstenol and by activating xenobiotic chemicals such as 1,4-bis-[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene and chlorpromazine. The ability of oestrogens and some other xenobiotics to activate mCAR is not clear. In the present study, co-transfection assays in HEK-293 cells indicated that oestrogens varied in their efficacy to activate mCAR, depending on variation at the steroid D-ring and position of hydroxy groups. In general, oestrogens were weaker activators of mCAR than 1,4-bis-[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene and chlorpromazine. Also, the induction of CYP2B10 mRNA by oestrogens was less pronounced in mouse primary hepatocytes. Yeast two-hybrid assays indicated that, unlike androstenol and the established activators, oestrogens attracted both nuclear receptor co-repressors and co-activators to the mCAR ligand-binding domain, thus limiting the extent of mCAR activation. This novel dual action is not limited to oestrogens, but is shared by some xenobiotic CYP2B inducers such as clotrimazole and methoxychlor. These findings offer an alternative explanation for the recently suggested nuclear activation step of mCAR.

title: The environmental pollutant 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)ethylene induces rat hepatic cytochrome P450 2B and 3A expression through the constitutive androstane receptor and pregnane X receptor.
abstract: 1,1-Dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), a persistent environmental contaminant, is a metabolite of the pesticide 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT). DDE is similar to phenobarbital (PB) in that both compounds are inducers of rat hepatic cytochrome P450 2B and 3A (CYP 2B and 3A). The induction of CYP 2B and 3A by PB is known to be regulated through the nuclear receptors constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR), respectively. In the current study, the induction of hepatic CYP 3A1 and 2B1 by DDE was correlated with CAR and PXR activity. Induction of 3A1 and 2B1 was observed in the livers of adult and developing male Sprague-Dawley rats following exposure to DDE. Increased hepatic expression of 3A1, but not 2B1, in developing rats exposed during gestation and lactation persisted into adulthood. In receptor transactivation assays, both CAR and PXR transcriptional activities were significantly enhanced by DDE. Nuclear accumulation of CAR, but not PXR, was observed in the liver tissue following DDE and PB treatment. These data support the idea that induction of hepatic 3A1 and 2B1 by DDE is mediated through the activation of CAR and PXR. This study suggests that regulation by environmental compounds of hepatic enzymes via CAR and PXR may have impact on the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous substrates.

title: Decreased apoptosis during CAR-mediated hepatoprotection against lithocholic acid-induced liver injury in mice.
abstract: Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) is an anti-apoptotic protein that is regulated by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Activation of CAR can protect the liver against bile acid-induced toxicity and it may have a role in cell death via apoptosis by altering expression of Bcl-2 family proteins such as myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1). Our aim was to determine if activation of CAR reduces hepatocellular apoptosis during cholestasis as a mechanism of hepatoprotection. CAR(+/+) (WT) and CAR(-/-) (CAR-null) mice were pre-treated with compounds known to activate CAR prior to induction of intrahepatic cholestasis using the secondary bile acid lithocholic acid (LCA). Pre-treatment with the CAR activators phenobarbital (PB) and TCPOBOP (TC), as well as the non-CAR activator pregnenolone 16alpha-carbontrile (PCN), protected against LCA-induced liver injury in WT mice, whereas liver injury was more extensive without CAR (CAR-null). Unexpectedly, expression of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-x(L) was not increased in hepatoprotected mice. Compared to unprotected groups, apoptosis was decreased in hepatoprotected mice as evidenced by the absence of cleaved caspase 3 (cCasp3). In contrast to the cytoplasmic localization in the injured livers (LCA and oltipraz), Mcl-1 protein was localized in the nucleus of hepatoprotected livers to potentially promote cell survival. This study demonstrates that although apoptosis is reduced in hepatoprotected mice pre-treated with CAR and non-CAR activators; hepatoprotection is not directly a result of CAR-induced Mcl-1 expression.

title: Induction of bilirubin clearance by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR)
abstract: Bilirubin clearance is one of the numerous important functions of the liver. Defects in this process result in jaundice, which is particularly common in neonates. Elevated bilirubin levels can be decreased by treatment with phenobarbital. Because the nuclear hormone receptor constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) mediates hepatic effects of this xenobiotic inducer, we hypothesized that CAR could be a regulator of bilirubin clearance. Activation of the nuclear hormone receptor CAR increases hepatic expression of each of five components of the bilirubin-clearance pathway. This induction is absent in homozygous CAR null mice but is observed in mice expressing human CAR instead of mouse CAR. Pretreatment with xenobiotic inducers markedly increases the rate of clearance of an exogenous bilirubin load in wild-type but not CAR knockout animals. Bilirubin itself can also activate CAR, and mice lacking CAR are defective in clearing chronically elevated bilirubin levels. Unexpectedly, CAR expression is very low in livers of neonatal mice and humans. We conclude that CAR directs a protective response to elevated bilirubin levels and suggest that a functional deficit of CAR activity may contribute to neonatal jaundice.

title: Activation of nuclear receptor CAR ameliorates diabetes and fatty liver disease
abstract: Constitutive androstane receptor CAR (NR1I3) has been identified as a central mediator of coordinate responses to xenobiotic and endobiotic stress. Here we use leptin-deficient mice (ob/ob) and ob/ob, CAR−/− double mutant mice to identify a metabolic role of CAR in type 2 diabetes. Activation of CAR significantly reduces serum glucose levels and improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Gene expression analyses and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp results suggest that CAR activation ameliorates hyperglycemia by suppressing glucose production and stimulating glucose uptake and usage in the liver. In addition, CAR activation dramatically improves fatty liver by both inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis and induction of β-oxidation. We conclude that CAR activation improves type 2 diabetes, and that these actions of CAR suggest therapeutic approaches to the disease.

title: Xenobiotic stress induces hepatomegaly and liver tumors via the nuclear receptor constitutive androstane receptor.
abstract: The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) is a central regulator of xenobiotic metabolism. CAR activation induces hepatic expression of detoxification enzymes and transporters and increases liver size. Here we show that CAR-mediated hepatomegaly is a transient, adaptive response to acute xenobiotic stress. In contrast, chronic CAR activation results in hepatocarcinogenesis. In both acute and chronic xenobiotic responses, hepatocyte DNA replication is increased and apoptosis is decreased. These effects are absent in CAR null mice, which are completely resistant to tumorigenic effects of chronic xenobiotic stress. In the acute response, direct up-regulation of Mdm2 expression by CAR contributes to both increased DNA replication and inhibition of p53-mediated apoptosis. These results demonstrate an essential role for CAR in regulating both liver homeostasis and tumorigenesis in response to xenobiotic stresses, and they also identify a specific molecular mechanism linking chronic environmental stress and tumor formation.

title: The Orphan Nuclear Receptor Constitutive Active/Androstane Receptor Is Essential for Liver Tumor Promotion by Phenobarbital in Mice
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to progress through a step often called tumor promotion. Phenobarbital (PB) is the prototype of nongenotoxic cacinogens that promote HCC in rodents. The molecular target of PB to elicit the promotion has been the subject of intense investigations over the last 30 years since it was discovered. The nuclear receptor constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) is activated by PB as well as by various other xenobiotics such as therapeutic drugs and environmental pollutants. CAR activation results in the transcriptional induction of numerous hepatic genes including those that encode xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes such as a set of cytochrome P450s. In addition to PB, many CAR activators are nongenotoxic carcinogens, but the role of CAR in liver tumor promotion remains unexplored. Using Car−/− mice, we have here examined tumor promotion by chronic treatment with PB in drinking water after tumor initiation with a single dose of the genotoxic carcinogen diethylnitrosamine. None of the Car−/− mice developed either eosinophilic foci or advanced liver tumors, whereas all Car+/+ mice developed HCC and/or adenoma by 39 weeks. The results indicate that CAR is the molecular target of promotion by PB and that activation of this receptor is an essential requirement for liver tumor development.

title: Estrogen activation of the nuclear orphan receptor CAR (constitutive active receptor) in induction of the mouse Cyp2b10 gene.
abstract: The nuclear orphan receptor CAR (constitutively active receptor or constitutive androstane receptor) can be activated in response to xenochemical exposure, such as activation by phenobarbital of a response element called NR1 found in the CYP2B gene. Here various steroids were screened for potential endogenous chemicals that may activate CAR, using the NR1 enhancer and Cyp2b10 induction in transfected HepG2 cell and/or in mouse primary hepatocytes as the experimental criteria. 17beta-Estradiol and estrone activated NR1, whereas estriol, estetrol, estradiol sulfate, and the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol did not. On the other hand, progesterone and androgens repressed NR1 activity in HepG2 cells, and the repressed NR1 activity was fully restored by estradiol. Moreover, estrogen treatment elicited nuclear accumulation of CAR in the mouse livers, as well as primary hepatocytes, and induced the endogenous Cyp2b10 gene. Ovariectomy did not affect either the basal or induced level of CAR in the nucleus of the female livers, while castration slightly increased the basal and greatly increased the induced levels in the liver nucleus of male mice. Thus, endogenous estrogen appears not to regulate CAR in female mice, whereas endogenous androgen may be the repressive factor in male mice. Estrogen at pharmacological levels is an effective activator of CAR in both female and male mice, suggesting a biological and/or toxicological role of this receptor in estrogen metabolism. In addition to mouse CAR, estrogens activated rat CAR, whereas human CAR did not respond well to the estrogens under the experimental conditions.

title: Orphan Nuclear Receptors Constitutive Androstane Receptor and Pregnane X Receptor Share Xenobiotic and Steroid Ligands*
abstract: Xenobiotics induce the transcription of cytochromes P450 (CYPs) 2B and 3A through the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR; NR1I3) and pregnane X receptor (PXR; NR1I2), respectively. In this report, we have systematically compared a series of xenobiotics and natural steroids for their effects on mouse and human CAR and PXR. Our results demonstrate dual regulation of PXR and CAR by a subset of compounds that affect CYP expression. Moreover, there are marked pharmacological differences between the mouse (m) and human (h) orthologs of both CAR and PXR. For example, the planar hydrocarbon 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyl-oxy)]benzene activates mCAR and hPXR but has little or no activity on hCAR and mPXR. In contrast, the CAR deactivator androstanol activates both mouse and human PXR. Similarly, the PXR activator clotrimazole is a potent deactivator of hCAR. Using radioligand binding and fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays, we demonstrate that several of the compounds that regulate mouse and human CAR, including natural steroids, bind directly to the receptors. Our results suggest that CAR, like PXR, is a steroid receptor that is capable of recognizing structurally diverse compounds. Moreover, our findings underscore the complexity in the physiologic response to xenobiotics.

title: Identification of a Novel Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR) Agonist and Its Use in the Identification of CAR Target Genes*
abstract: The orphan nuclear constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is proposed to play a central role in the response to xenochemical stress. Identification of CAR target genes in humans has been limited by the lack of a selective CAR agonist. We report the identification of 6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehydeO-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime (CITCO) as a novel human CAR agonist with the following characteristics: (a) potent activity in an in vitro fluorescence-based CAR activation assay; (b) selectivity for CAR over other nuclear receptors, including the xenobiotic pregnane X receptor (PXR); (c) the ability to induce human CAR nuclear translocation; and (d) the ability to induce the prototypical CAR target gene CYP2B6 in primary human hepatocytes. Using primary cultures of human hepatocytes, the effects of CITCO on gene expression were compared with those of the PXR ligand rifampicin. The relative expression of a number of genes encoding proteins involved in various aspects of steroid and xenobiotic metabolism was analyzed. Notably, CAR and PXR activators differentially regulated the expression of several genes, demonstrating that these two nuclear receptors subserve overlapping but distinct biological functions in human hepatocytes.

title: Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) as a potential sensing biomarker of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in aquatic mammal: molecular characterization, expression level, and ligand profiling in Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica).
abstract: To characterize the function of constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) in aquatic mammals, CAR complementary DNA (cDNA) was cloned from the liver of Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) from Lake Baikal, Russia, and the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in various tissues/organs of the wild population and the CAR ligand profiles were investigated. The seal CAR cDNA had an open reading frame of 1047 bp encoding 348 amino acids that revealed 74-84% amino acid identities with CARs from rodents and human. The mRNA expression profile of tissues/organs represented that Baikal seal CAR was predominantly expressed in the liver followed by heart and intestine. The expression analysis of hepatic CAR mRNA showed no correlation with expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A, 1B, 2B, 2C, and 3A-like proteins, indicating that the CAR expression level may not be the sole determinant of the regulation of these CYP expressions in the seal liver. There was no significant correlation between CAR expression and any of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) levels. Furthermore, we performed an in vitro CAR transactivation assay using MCF-7 cells transfected with Baikal seal CAR expression plasmid and (NR1)(3)-luciferase reporter gene plasmid. In the transactivation analysis of Baikal seal CAR, neither repression by androstanol and androstenol, nor activation by estrone and estradiol, which are recognized as endogenous ligands for mouse and human CARs, was detected. On the other hand, bile acids such as chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and lithocholic acid activated the seal CAR as well as mouse CAR. As for exogenous chemicals, the seal CAR was transactivated by a human CAR agonist, 6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehyde O-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime), but not by a mouse CAR agonist, (1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene). In addition, the seal CAR was also activated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (Kanechlor-500, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry No. PCB153; 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl and PCB180; 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl), and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT) and its metabolite, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE). The seal CAR responded more sensitively to PCBs than the mouse CAR. Based on the results of CAR transactivation assay, the lowest observable effect levels of Kanechlor-500, PCB153, PCB180, p,p'-DDT, and p,p'-DDE in Baikal seal were estimated to be 10, 20, 20, 10, and 10 ppm on wet weight basis, respectively. These results suggest that CAR is conserved in diverse mammalian species including seals. Whereas the seal CAR-mediated gene transcription may potentially be a sensitive response to the exposure of certain POPs, the ligand profile of seal CAR may be different from those of other mammalian CARs. This study indicates that CAR-mediated responses may be useful information to assess the ecotoxicological risk of xenobiotics such as POPs in wildlife but the previous results derived from rodent and human CAR may not be applicable to the risk assessment in wild species.

title: The nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR: structural determinants of constitutive activation and heterodimerization.
abstract: Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) induces xenobiotic, bilirubin, and thyroid hormone metabolism as a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR). Unlike ligand-dependent nuclear receptors, CAR is constitutively active. Here, we report the heterodimeric structure of the CAR and RXR ligand binding domains (LBDs), which reveals an unusually large dimerization interface and a small CAR ligand binding pocket. Constitutive CAR activity appears to be mediated by the compact nature of the CAR LBD that displays several unique features including a shortened AF2 helix and helix H10, which are linked by a two-turn helix that normally adopts an extended loop in other receptors, and an extended helix H2 that stabilizes the canonical LBD fold by packing tightly against helix H3. These structural observations provide a molecular framework for understanding the atypical transcriptional activation properties of CAR.

title: Accumulation features and temporal trends of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in Baikal seals (Pusa sibirica).
abstract: This study investigated the accumulation features and temporal trends of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) and non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) in the blubber of Baikal seals collected in 1992 and 2005. DL-PCBs (480-3600ng/g) and NDL-PCBs (980-35,000ng/g) were dominant contaminants. Concentrations of PCDDs and PCBs in males were significantly higher than in females. In males, age-dependent accumulation was observed for PCDDs, mono-ortho PCBs and NDL-PCBs. PCDFs and non-ortho PCBs showed no such trends, implying that exposure of seals to these contaminants has been decreasing in recent years. No decreasing temporal trend was observed for PCDDs, mono-ortho PCBs and NDL-PCBs, suggesting that Baikal seals are still exposed to PCDDs and PCBs. TEQs of PCDDs and mono-ortho PCBs in seals collected in 2005 accounted for 62-77% of total TEQs. The TEQ levels in 40% of the specimens exceeded the threshold level for immunosuppression observed in harbor seals (209pg/g).

title: Toxicokinetics of PCDD, PCDF, and coplanar PCB congeners in Baikal seals, Pusa sibirica: age-related accumulation, maternal transfer, and hepatic sequestration.
abstract: To assess the toxicokinetic behavior and potential toxicity of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Baikal seals, congener-specific levels and tissue distribution were evaluated in the liver and blubber, and the effects of biological factors including sex and growth were assessed. Total 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQs) were in the range of 210-920 pgTEQ/g fat wt (180-800 pgTEQ/g wet wt) in the blubber and 290-7800 pgTEQ/g fat wt (10-570 pgTEQ/wet wt) in the liver. Non-ortho coplanar PCB126 was the most TEQ-contributed congener accounting for 37-59% of the total TEQs in the liver. From the unique congener profiles, weak metabolic properties of Baikal seals for 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-P5CDF are suggested. Concentrations of most congeners linearly increased with age in male seals, whereas in adult females the levels revealed an age-related decline. The increasing and declining rates were congener-specific. Maternal transfer rates of 5 representative congeners from adult female to pup through lactation, which was estimated from male-female differences in the body burden, was 1.1 ngTEQ/kg/day for the first pup and decreased with every lactational epoch. The liver-blubber distribution of 1,2,3,4,7,8-H6CDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8-H6CDD, PCB81, PCB126, and PCB169 was dependent on the hepatic total TEQ, indicating hepatic sequestration by induced cytochrome P450 (CYP). These results indicate that congener profile in Baikal seals is governed by complex factors including sex, tissue concentration, binding to CYP, and rates of absorption and metabolism/excretion.

title: Transactivation potencies of Baikal seal constitutive active/androstane receptor by persistent organic pollutants and brominated flame retardants.
abstract: To characterize ligand-dependent transcriptional activation of constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) in aquatic mammals, transactivation potentials of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) CAR (bsCAR) by environmental pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs), were investigated using an in vitro reporter gene assay, and compared with those of the mouse CAR (mCAR). Measurement of luciferase reporter gene activities demonstrated that the seal CAR was activated by POPs, including a technical mixture of PCBs (Kanechlor-500), certain individual PCB congeners, DDT compounds, and trans-nonachlor. No or slight bsCAR-dependent activity was detected in experiments with PBDE congeners and HBCDs. The interspecies comparison of lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for CAR transactivation byeach compound revealed that bsCAR responds more sensitively to PCBs than mCAR. In addition, bsCAR was weakly deactivated by PBDE99, whereas mCAR transcriptional activity decreased weakly by PBDE100, PBDE154, and PBDE187. Comparison of reporter gene activities by the congeners with the same IUPAC numbers among PCBs and PBDEs revealed that both bsCAR and mCAR were not activated by PBDE99 and PBDE153, but were activated by PCB99 and PCB153. The small ligand-binding pocket in CAR may contribute to difference in response between PCBs and PBDEs. Given that ethical rationale prevents dosing studies with such organohalogens in aquatic mammals, our in vitro assay system constructed with CAR cDNA from a species of interest provides a useful and realistic alternative approach in ecotoxicology.

title: Kinetic analysis of estrogen receptor/ligand interactions
abstract: Surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology was used to directly measure the binding interactions of small molecules to the ligand-binding domain of human estrogen receptor. In a screening mode, specific ligands of the receptor were easily discerned from nonligands. In a high-resolution mode, the association and dissociation phase binding responses were shown to be reproducible and could be fit globally to a simple interaction model to extract reaction rate constants. On average, antagonist ligands (such as tamoxifen and nafoxidine) were observed to bind to the receptor with association rates that were 500-fold slower than agonists (such as estriol and β-estradiol). This finding is consistent with these antagonists binding to an altered conformation of the receptor. The biosensor assay also could identify subtle differences in how the same ligand interacted with two different isoforms of the receptor (α and β). The biosensor's ability to determine kinetic rate constants for small molecule/protein interactions provides unique opportunities to understand the mechanisms associated with complex formation as well as new information to drive the optimization of drug candidates.

title: High-throughput, genome-scale protein production method based on the wheat germ cell-free expression system.
abstract: Cell-free protein synthesis systems can synthesize proteins with high speed and accuracy, but produce only a low yield because of their instability over time. Here we review our recent advances in a cell-free protein synthesis system prepared from wheat embryos. We first addressed and resolved the source of the instability of existing systems in light of endogenous ribosome-inactivating proteins. We found that conventional wheat germ extracts contained the RNA N-glycosidase tritin and other inhibitors such as thionin, ribonucleases, deoxyribonucleases, and proteases that originate from the endosperm and inhibit translation. Extensive washing of wheat embryos to eliminate endosperm contaminants has resulted in extracts with a high degree of stability and activity. To maximize the translation yield and throughput of the system, we then focused on developing the following issues: optimization of the ORF flanking regions, a new strategy to construct PCR-generated DNAs for screening, and design of an expression vector for large-scale protein production. The resulting system achieves high-throughput expression, with a PCR-directed system at least 50 genes that can be translated in parallel, yielding between 0.1 and 2.3 mg of protein by one person within 2 days. Under the dialysis mode of reaction, the system with the expression vector can maintain productive translation for 14 days. The cell-free system described here bypasses most of the biological processes and lends itself to robotic automation for high-throughput expression of genetic information, thus opening up many possibilities in the post-genome era.

title: How well does a restrained electrostatic potential (RESP) model perform in calculating conformational energies of organic and biological molecules?
abstract: In this study, we present conformational energies for a molecular mechanical model (Parm99) developed for organic and biological molecules using the restrained electrostatic potential (RESP) approach to derive the partial charges. This approach uses the simple “generic” force field model (Parm94), and attempts to add a minimal number of extra Fourier components to the torsional energies, but doing so only when there is a physical justification. The results are quite encouraging, not only for the 34‐molecule set that has been studied by both the highest level ab initiomodel (GVB/LMP2) and experiment, but also for the 55‐molecule set for which high‐quality experimental data are available. Considering the 55 molecules studied by all the force field models for which there are experimental data, the average absolute errors (AAEs) are 0.28 (this model), 0.52 (MM3), 0.57 (CHARMm [MSI]), and 0.43 kcal/mol (MMFF). For the 34‐molecule set, the AAEs of this model versus experiment and ab initio are 0.28 and 0.27 kcal/mol, respectively. This is a lower error than found with MM3 and CHARMm, and is comparable to that found with MMFF (0.31 and 0.22 kcal/mol). We also present two examples of how well the torsional parameters are transferred from the training set to the test set. The absolute errors of molecules in the test set are only slightly larger than in the training set (differences of <0.1 kcal/mol). Therefore, it can be concluded that a simple “generic” force field with a limited number of specific torsional parameters can describe intra‐ and intermolecular interactions, although all comparison molecules were selected from our 82‐compound training set. We also show how this effective two‐body model can be extended for use with a nonadditive force field (NAFF), both with and without lone pairs. Without changing the torsional parameters, the use of more accurate charges and polarization leads to an increase in average absolute error compared with experiment, but adjustment of the parameters restores the level of agreement found with the additive model. After reoptimizing the Ψ, Φ torsional parameters in peptides using alanine dipeptide (6 conformational pairs) and alanine tetrapeptide (11 conformational pairs), the new model gives better energies than the Cornell et al. (  force field. The average absolute error of this model for high‐level ab initio calculation is 0.82 kcal/mol for alanine dipeptide and tetrapeptide as compared with 1.80 kcal/mol for the Cornell et al. model. For nucleosides, the new model also gives improved energies compared with the Cornell et al. model. To optimize force field parameters, we developed a program called parmscan, which can iteratively scan the torsional parameters in a systematic manner and finally obtain the best torsional potentials. Besides the organic molecules in our test set, parmscan was also successful in optimizing the Ψ, Φ torsional parameters in peptides to significantly improve agreement between molecular mechanical and high‐level ab initio energies.

title: Merck molecular force field. I. Basis, form, scope, parameterization, and performance of MMFF94
abstract: This article introduces MMFF94, the initial published version of the Merck molecular force field (MMFF). It describes the objectives set for MMFF, the form it takes, and the range of systems to which it applies. This study also outlines the methodology employed in parameterizing MMFF94 and summarizes its performance in reproducing computational and experimental data. Though similar to MM3 in some respects, MMFF94 differs in ways intended to facilitate application to condensed-phase processes in molecular-dynamics simulations. Indeed, MMFF94 seeks to achieve MM3-like accuracy for small molecules in a combined "organic/protein" force field that is equally applicable to proteins and other systems of biological significance. A second distinguishing feature is that the core portion of MMFF94 has primarily been derived from high-quality computational data-ca. 500 molecular structures optimized at the HF/6-31G* level, 475 structures optimized at the MP2/6-31G* level, 380 MP2/6-31G* structures evaluated at a defined approximation to the MP4SDQ/TZP level, and 1450 structures partly derived from MP2/6-31G* geometries and evaluated at the MP2/TZP level. A third distinguishing feature is that MMFF94 has been parameterized for a wide variety of chemical systems of interest to organic and medicial chemists, including many that feature frequently occurring combinations of functional groups for which little, if any, useful experimental data are available. The methodology used in parameterizing MMFF94 represents a fourth distinguishing feature. Rather than using the common "functional group" approach, nearly all MMFF parameters have been determined in a mutually consistent fashion from the full set of available computational data. MMFF94 reproduces the computational data used in its parameterizationo very well. In addition, MMFF94 reproduces experimental bond lengths (0.014 A root mean square [rrns]), bond angles (1.2" rms), vibrational frequencies (61 cm-' *This article includes Supplementary Material available from the author upon request or via the Internet at ftp.wiley.com/public/journals/jcc/supprnat/l7/490 or http://journals.wiley.com/jcc Journal of Computational Chemistry, Vol. 17, Nos. 5&6, 490-519 (1996)

title: The ProteOn XPR36™ Array System—High Throughput Kinetic Binding Analysis of Biomolecular Interactions
abstract: Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology is a central, widely used tool for kinetic studies of interactions between unlabeled biomolecules in real time. The ProteOn XPR36 protein interaction array system possesses all the qualities of high-level SPR biosensing technology combined with high-throughput and multiplexing capabilities. This system is based on the built-in orientation controlled multichannel module of the ProteOn XPR36 system, which allows parallel measurement of multiple binding interactions between as many as six protein pairs. This kind of multiplexing is done efficiently on the ProteOn XPR36 system using the innovative technique of One-shot KineticsTM, which allows simultaneous monitoring of multiple protein pair interactions. Here we demonstrate the capabilities of the ProteOn XPR36 for the measurements of a wide range of biomolecules interactions including proteins, DNA oligos, small molecules and antibodies and discuss its optimal mode of use.

title: Androstane metabolites bind to and deactivate the nuclear receptor CAR-β
abstract: The orphan receptor CAR-β (ref. 1) binds DNA as a heterodimer with the retinoid-X receptor and activates gene transcription in a constitutive manner. Here we show that, in contrast to the classical nuclear receptors, the constitutive activity of CAR-β results from a ligand-independent recruitment of transcriptional co-activators. While searching for potential ligands of CAR-β, we found that the steroids androstanol and androstenol inhibit the constitutive activity of CAR-β. This effect is stereospecific: only 3α-hydroxy, 5α-reduced androstanes are active. These androstanes do not interfere with heterodimerization or DNA binding of CAR-β; instead, they promote co-activator release from the ligand-binding domain. These androstane ligands are examples of naturally occurring inverse agonists, that reverse transcriptional activation by nuclear receptors. CAR-β (constitutive androstane receptor-β), therefore, defines an unanticipated steroidal signalling pathway that functions in a manner opposite to that of the conventional nuclear receptor pathways.

title: Farnesoid X receptor suppresses constitutive androstane receptor activity at the multidrug resistance protein-4 promoter.
abstract: Multidrug resistance protein-4 (MRP4) is a member of the multidrug resistance associated gene family that is expressed on the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes and undergoes adaptive up-regulation in response to cholestatic injury or bile acid feeding. In this study we demonstrate that farnesoid X receptor (FXR) regulates MRP4 in vivo and in vitro. In vivo deletion of FXR induces MRP4 gene expression. In vitro treatment of HepG2 cells with FXR ligands, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), cholic acid (CA) and the synthetic ligand GW-4064 suppresses basal mRNA level of the MRP4 gene as well as the co-treatment with CDCA and 6-(4-Chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehyde-O-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime (CITCO), an activator of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). We found in the human MRP4 promoter a CAR responsive element (CARE) embedded within an FXR responsive element (FXRE). We cloned this region and found that FXR suppresses CAR activity in luciferase assay. Finally, we demonstrated that FXR competes with CAR for binding to this overlapping binding site. Our results support the view that FXR activation in obstructive cholestasis might worsen liver injury by hijacking a protective mechanism regulated by CAR and provides a new molecular explanation to the pathophysiology of cholestasis.

title: Selective phthalate activation of naturally occurring human constitutive androstane receptor splice variants and the pregnane X receptor.
abstract: Phthalates and other endocrine-disruptive chemicals are manufactured in large quantities for use as plasticizers and other commercial applications, resulting in ubiquitous human exposure and thus, concern regarding their toxicity. Innate defense against small molecule exposures is controlled in large part by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and the pregnane X receptor (PXR). The human CAR gene undergoes multiple alternative splicing events resulting in the CAR2 and CAR3 variant receptors. Recent studies from our laboratory show that CAR2 is potently and specifically activated by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). We hypothesized that alternative splicing is a mechanism for increasing CAR's functional diversity, broadening the human receptors' repertoire of response to environmental xenobiotics. In these studies, we examine the interaction of alternatively spliced CARs and PXR with a range of suspected endocrine disruptors, including phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and 4-N-nonylphenol (NP). Transactivation and two-hybrid studies in COS-1 cells revealed differential selectivity of endocrine-disrupting chemicals for the variant CAR and PXR. Ex vivo studies showed DEHP and di-isononyl phthalate potently induced CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 expression in human hepatocytes. Mutation analysis of CAR2, in silico modeling, and ligand docking studies suggested that the SPTV amino acid insertion of CAR2 creates a unique ligand-binding pocket. Alternative gene splicing results in variant CAR receptors that selectively recognize phthalates and BPA. The interaction of phthalates with CAR and PXR suggests a xenobiotic response that is complex and biologically redundant.

title: Structure of the murine constitutive androstane receptor complexed to androstenol: a molecular basis for inverse agonism.
abstract: The nuclear receptor CAR is a xenobiotic responsive transcription factor that plays a central role in the clearance of drugs and bilirubin while promoting cocaine and acetaminophen toxicity. In addition, CAR has established a "reverse" paradigm of nuclear receptor action where the receptor is active in the absence of ligand and inactive when bound to inverse agonists. We now report the crystal structure of murine CAR bound to the inverse agonist androstenol. Androstenol binds within the ligand binding pocket, but unlike many nuclear receptor ligands, it makes no contacts with helix H12/AF2. The transition from constitutive to basal activity (androstenol bound) appears to be associated with a ligand-induced kink between helices H10 and H11. This disrupts the previously predicted salt bridge that locks H12 in the transcriptionally active conformation. This mechanism of inverse agonism is distinct from traditional nuclear receptor antagonists thereby offering a new approach to receptor modulation.

title: A structural basis for constitutive activity in the human CAR/RXRalpha heterodimer.
abstract: The X-ray crystal structure of the human constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3)/retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha, NR2B1) heterodimer sheds light on the mechanism of ligand-independent activation of transcription by nuclear receptors. CAR contains a single-turn Helix X that restricts the conformational freedom of the C-terminal AF2 helix, favoring the active state of the receptor. Helix X and AF2 sit atop four amino acids that shield the CAR ligand binding pocket. A fatty acid ligand was identified in the RXRalpha binding pocket. The endogenous RXRalpha ligand, combined with stabilizing interactions from the heterodimer interface, served to hold RXRalpha in an active conformation. The structure suggests that upon translocation, CAR/RXRalpha heterodimers are preorganized in an active conformation in cells such that they can regulate transcription of target genes. Insights into the molecular basis of CAR constitutive activity can be exploited in the design of inverse agonists as drugs for treatment of obesity.

title: Helix 11 dynamics is critical for constitutive androstane receptor activity.
abstract: The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) transactivation can occur in the absence of exogenous ligand and this activity is enhanced by agonists TCPOBOP and meclizine. We use biophysical and cell-based assays to show that increased activity of CAR(TCPOBOP) relative to CAR(meclizine) corresponds to a higher affinity of CAR(TCPOBOP) for the steroid receptor coactivator-1. Additionally, steady-state fluorescence spectra suggest conformational differences between CAR(TCPOBOP):RXR and CAR(meclizine):RXR. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) data indicate that the CAR activation function 2 (AF-2) is more stable in CAR(TCPOBOP):RXR and CAR(meclizine):RXR than in CAR:RXR. HDX kinetics also show significant differences between CAR(TCPOBOP):RXR and CAR(meclizine):RXR. Unlike CAR(meclizine):RXR, CAR(TCPOBOP):RXR shows a higher overall stabilization that extends into RXR. We identify residues 339-345 in CAR as an allosteric regulatory site with a greater magnitude reduction in exchange kinetics in CAR(TCPOBOP):RXR than CAR(meclizine):RXR. Accordingly, assays with mutations on CAR at leucine-340 and leucine-343 confirm this region as an important determinant of CAR activity.

title: Bile acids: natural ligands for an orphan nuclear receptor.
abstract: Bile acids regulate the transcription of genes that control cholesterol homeostasis through molecular mechanisms that are poorly understood. Physiological concentrations of free and conjugated chenodeoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid, and deoxycholic acid activated the farnesoid X receptor (FXR; NR1H4), an orphan nuclear receptor. As ligands, these bile acids and their conjugates modulated interaction of FXR with a peptide derived from steroid receptor coactivator 1. These results provide evidence for a nuclear bile acid signaling pathway that may regulate cholesterol homeostasis.

title: Ligand specificity of constitutive androstane receptor as probed by induced-fit docking and mutagenesis.
abstract: Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) belongs to the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors and acts as a chemical sensor of drugs and endogenous compounds. The ligand-binding preferences of CAR are diverse, and more importantly, there are significant species differences in ligand specificity. Here, we show that while certain residues are critical for the basal activity of mouse CAR (mCAR) and/or affect the binding of all tested ligands, mutation of some ligand-binding pocket (LBP) residues (e.g., F171 and Y336) paradoxically decreased the activity of a specific ligand while increasing that of others. Comparisons to previously reported human CAR (hCAR) residues indicated that the function of key CAR residues (e.g., N175, L253) is dramatically different between species. The docking results provide some mechanistic rationale for the ability of 17alpha-ethinyl-3,17beta-estradiol (EE2) to both activate mCAR and repress hCAR.

title: Activation function 2 (AF‐2) of retinoic acid receptor and 9‐cis retinoic acid receptor: presence of a conserved autonomous constitutive activating domain and influence of the nature of the response element on AF‐2 activity.
abstract: A motif essential for the transcriptional activation function 2 (AF‐2) present in the E region of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha and 9‐cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR) alpha has been characterized as an amphipathic alpha‐helix whose main features are conserved between transcriptionally active members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. This conserved motif, which can activate autonomously in the absence of ligand in animal and yeast cells, can be swapped between nuclear receptors without affecting the ligand dependency for activation of transcription, thus indicating that a ligand‐dependent conformational change is necessary to reveal the AF‐2 activation potential within the E region of the nuclear receptor. Interestingly, we show that the precise nature of the direct repeat response element to which RAR/RXR heterodimers are bound can affect the activity of the AF‐2s of the heterodimeric partners, as well as the relative efficiency with which all‐trans and 9‐cis retinoic acids activate the RAR partner.

title: The Peptide Near the C Terminus Regulates Receptor CAR Nuclear Translocation Induced by Xenochemicals in Mouse Liver
abstract: In response to phenobarbital (PB) and other PB-type inducers, the nuclear receptor CAR translocates to the mouse liver nucleus (T. Kawamoto et al.,  1999). To define the translocation mechanism, fluorescent protein-tagged human CAR (hCAR) was expressed in the mouse livers using the in situ DNA injection and gene delivery systems. As in the wild-type hCAR, the truncated receptor lacking the C-terminal 10 residues (i.e., AF2 domain) translocated to the nucleus, indicating that the PB-inducible translocation is AF2 independent. Deletion of the 30 C-terminal residues abolished the receptor translocation, and subsequent site-directed mutagenesis delineated the PB-inducible translocation activity of the receptor to the peptide L313GLL316AEL319. Ala mutations of Leu313, Leu316, or Leu319 abrogated the translocation of CAR in the livers, while those of Leu312 or Leu315 did not affect the nuclear translocation. The leucine-rich peptide dictates the nuclear translocation of hCAR in response to various PB-type inducers and appears to be conserved in the mouse and rat receptors.

title: Molecular determinants of steroid inhibition for the mouse constitutive androstane receptor.
abstract: The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) regulates drug and steroid metabolism through binding to cytochrome P450 2B, 2C, and 3A gene enhancers. Uniquely among nuclear receptors, mouse CAR (mCAR) can be suppressed by androstenol and activated by structurally diverse drugs, pesticides, and environmental pollutants. To gain insight into presently ill-defined structural requirements of mCAR ligands, we employed a mCAR inhibition assay in mammalian HEK293 cells to create a QSAR model that could well predict the inhibition by three unknown steroids. Two novel mCAR inhibitors were thus identified. Yeast two-hybrid assays indicated that steroids inhibit mCAR primarily by promoting association of mCAR with the corepressor NCoR, with only minor contribution from other mechanisms. Analysis of chimeric and mutant mCAR constructs suggested that androstenol sensitivity is controlled by residues between amino acids 201-263 (helices 5-7) and it does not depend on the residue 350 within helix 12, as previously suggested.