Biol Reprod
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lee, Y. S.
Right arrow Articles by Lee, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lee, Y. S.
Right arrow Articles by Lee, K.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Lee, Y. S.
Right arrow Articles by Lee, K.
Biology of Reproduction 67, 1580-1587 (2002)
© 2002 Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.


Regular Article

Activating Signal Cointegrator 1 Is Highly Expressed in Murine Testicular Leydig Cells and Enhances the Ligand-Dependent Transactivation of Androgen Receptor1

Yong Soo Lee3,a, Hyun-Jin Kim3,a, Hyun Ju Leea, Jae Woon Leeb, Sang-Young Chuna, Sun-Kun Koc, and Keesook Lee2,a

a Hormone Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea b Department of Life Science and Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea c Department of Biology, Honam University, Gwangju 506-714, Republic of Korea


    ABSTRACT
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Activating signal cointegrator 1 (ASC-1) has been recently reported as a coactivator of some nuclear receptors. In the present study, we have analyzed the expression of ASC-1 in the mouse testis and investigated its capacity to modulate the transcriptional activity of androgen receptor (AR). We found that although ASC-1 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed at a low level in mouse tissues, a couple of testis-specific mRNAs were expressed in the adult testis. Cloning of one testis-specific variant revealed that the ubiquitous and testis-specific transcripts of ASC-1 share at least the same open reading frame. The expression of the testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs was developmentally regulated, and the onset of their expression coincided with the initiation of spermatogenesis. In situ hybridization of mouse testis with ASC-1 antisense probe demonstrated predominant expression of ASC-1 in the interstitial Leydig cells that express AR. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid tests and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays revealed that ASC-1 associates directly with AR and that the hinge domain of AR and a putative zinc-finger motif of ASC-1 are major determinants for their interaction. Transient transfection assays performed by expressing ASC-1 in combination with AR and an androgen-responsive reporter gene showed that ASC-1 moderately alters the induction of the reporter gene. Taken together, these results suggest that ASC-1 may function as an AR coregulator and have a role in testicular functions.

androgen receptor, Leydig cells, testis


    INTRODUCTION
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Androgen receptor (AR), an androgen-dependent transcription factor, has received much attention regarding male reproduction because of the importance of androgens in the development of male germ cells and the function of the male reproductive system [1, 2]. Especially, AR activation by binding with testosterone, the major physiological ligand, has been known to be essential for the initiation of spermatogenesis at puberty and its maintenance during adulthood. Withdrawal of testosterone by hypophysectomy or ethane dimethane sulfonate treatment in rats led to the failure of spermatogenesis [3, 4]. In the adult testis, AR is expressed in specific cell types: interstitial Leydig cells, peritubular myoid cells, and supportive Sertoli cells of the seminiferous tubule [57]. Absence of AR in male germ cells suggests that androgen stimulation of germ cell development is indirect and mediated by regulation of gene expression in the cell types expressing AR [8, 9].

The AR is a member of the nuclear-receptor superfamily that is a related group of ligand-inducible transcription factors [10, 11]. The overall structure of AR is similar to those of other nuclear receptors, with three separate functional domains: the variable N-terminal activation domain (AF1), the highly conserved central DNA-binding domain (DBD), and the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD) [12]. A second, ligand-dependent activation function (AF2) has also been identified in the C-terminal part of the LBD [13, 14], although AF2 in AR is relatively weak compared with AF1 [15]. On ligand binding, AR undergoes conformational changes that facilitate the formation of AR dimers in complex with specific DNA sequences, called androgen response elements (AREs), to enhance transcription of target genes [16, 17]. Transcriptional activation of nuclear receptors appears to involve their interaction with general transcription factors and coactivators to increase the transcription rate of the target gene [1820]. The number of coactivators reported to interact with AR is increasing, and they include TIF2, SNURF, ARA70, ARIP3, CBP/p300, Ubc9, PIAS1, ANPK, TRAM-1, and FHL2 [18, 2130]. However, only a few testis-specific AR coactivators have been identified [27, 30].

Activating signal cointegrator 1 (ASC-1), originally cloned based on its interaction with thyroid receptor (TR) [31], has been shown to be a transcriptional coactivator of nuclear receptors for thyroid (TR), all-trans-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid (RXR), and estrogen [32]. It promotes their transcriptional efficiencies, either alone or in cooperation with SRC-1 and CBP/p300. A putative zinc-finger motif in the autonomous transactivation domain of ASC-1 is involved in its association with nuclear receptors and other factors. Although ASC-1-binding sites involve the hinge domain of nuclear receptors, ASC-1 function appears to require the AF2-dependent factors, because it cannot coactivate a mutant receptor lacking the AF2 core domain. Cellular relocalization of ASC-1 under different cellular conditions has suggested that it may play a role in establishing distinct coactivator complexes on different cellular regulatory signals. However, to our knowledge, the physiological relevance and function of ASC-1 have not been studied.

The ASC-1 is expressed in human male reproductive organs such as testis and prostate [32]. In the present study, we first analyzed the expression pattern of ASC-1 in the mouse testis to examine its physiological role in the testis. Subsequently, we investigated the function of ASC-1 as an AR coregulator based on the first appearance of the testis-specific ASC-1 messages around the time of puberty as well as predominant expression of ASC-1 in the Leydig cells that express AR.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Plasmids

All the LexA and B42 fusion vectors were constructed by cloning the indicated genes and their mutants in frame after LexA-DBD of p202PL [33] and B42-AD of pJG4-5 [33], respectively. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion constructs were made using pGEX4T-1 (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden), and plasmids for mammalian expression and for in vitro translation of AR and ASC-1 were constructed using the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3 (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA). All the plasmids containing full-length ASC-1 [32] and its deletion mutants, ASC-1A, ASC-1B, and ASC-1C, were provided by J.W.L. Mouse AR (a gift from Dr. D.J. Tindall at the Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN) was cloned into the BamHI site of pcDNA3. A luciferase reporter plasmid containing two AREs of the C3 gene, pARE2-TATA-Luc [22], was a gift from Dr. J.J. Palvino (University of Helsinki, Finland).

Animals

BALB/C mice were purchased from a commercial supplier (Daehan Laboratories, Chung-buk, Korea). Animals were kept and bred in a cage with water and chow available and were maintained under controlled conditions (12L:12D, 50% humidity, 22°C). The day that litters were born was considered to be Day 1 of life. The ethical treatment of animals in this study was carried out according to National Institutes of Health standards.

Northern Blot Analysis

Total RNA was extracted from dissected tissues and cultured cells using Tri Reagent solution (Molecular Research Center, Inc., Cincinnati, OH). Twenty micrograms of total RNA were separated on a 1.2% (w/v) denaturing agarose gel, transferred onto Zeta-probe nylon membrane (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) in 10x SSC (standard saline citrate; 1x SSC: 0.15 M sodium chloride and 0.015 M sodium citrate) by the capillary transfer, and then immobilized under ultraviolet light. After overnight prehybridization, the membrane was hybridized at 42°C in a solution containing 50% (w/v) formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 5x SSC, 1 mM EDTA, 100 µg/ml of denatured salmon sperm DNA, and a random-primed 32P-labeled mouse ASC-1 cDNA probe. After washing at 65°C for 20 min in 0.2x SSC and 0.1% (w/v) SDS as a final stringency, the membrane was exposed on Kodak x-ray film (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY) at -70°C. The membrane was then stripped and reprobed for glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase.

In Situ Hybridization

Testes were prefixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in potassium-buffered saline (PBS) by transcardiac perfusion, dissected out and further fixed at 4°C for 4–5 h in the same fixative, and then immersed in 20% sucrose in PBS overnight. The hybridization was performed as previously described [34] with minor modifications. In brief, after digestion with proteinase K and acetylation, cryostat sections (thickness, 20 µm) were hybridized at 60°C overnight with 35S-labeled mouse ASC-1 cRNA probe in 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 0.3 M NaCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1x Denhardt solution, 500 µg/ml of carrier transfer RNA, and 10 mM dithiothreitol. Slides were washed under stringent conditions that included ribonuclease A (20 µg/ml) treatment at 37°C for 30 min and wash in final stringency of 0.1x SSC and then processed for liquid emulsion autoradiography (Kodak NBT-2). After exposure for 3 wk at 4°C, slides were developed, counterstained with hematoxylin and eosin, and taken for photomicrography. The sense cRNA probe was used as a control for nonspecific binding.

cDNA Library Screening

Approximately 7 x 104 pfu of mouse testis cDNA library packaged in {lambda} gt 11 (Promega, Madison, WI) were transferred onto nitrocellulose filters (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Hybridization was carried out at 42°C overnight in a solution containing 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 5x SSC, 1 mM EDTA, 100 µg/ml of denatured salmon sperm DNA, and a random-primed 32P-labeled mouse ASC-1 cDNA probe. The positive cDNA clones were obtained by enzyme digestion and subcloned into pBluscript (Promega). Sequences of the cDNAs were analyzed using the ABI PRISM sequence analyzer (Perkin Elmer, Foster, CA).

Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction and Southern Blot Analysis

Total RNAs eluted from tissues were reverse transcribed and used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the SuperScript One-Step Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR system (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD) according to the supplier's instructions. A 1746-base pair (bp) product spanning the whole open reading frame (ORF) region was amplified using forward (5'-ATG GCG GTG GCT GGG GCG G-3') and reverse (5'-TCA GAC AGC TTT ATT CTG CTT CAT T-3') primers corresponding to the mouse ASC-1. The RT-PCR products were run on 1% agarose gel and transferred onto Zeta-probe nylon membrane (Bio-Rad). After prehybridization for 3 h, the blot was hybridized with a random-primed 32P-labeled mouse ASC-1 cDNA probe overnight at 68°C in a buffer containing 6x SSC, 5x Denhardt, 0.5% SDS, and 100 µg/ml of denatured salmon sperm DNA. The membrane was washed at room temperature in 2x SSC and 0.1 % SDS, followed by 0.2x SSC and 0.1% SDS at 68°C for 90 min as a final stringency, and exposed on Kodak x-ray film at -70°C.

Yeast Two-Hybrid Assay

Plasmids encoding LexA fusions and B42 fusions were cotransformed into Saccaromyces cerevisiae EGY48 containing the lacZ reporter plasmid, SH/1834 [33]. The transformants grown on a plate of selective medium were then incubated in the same liquid medium, but also containing 2% galactose, at 30°C for 3 h. An equal amount of cells were harvested, resuspended in a buffer (60 mM Na2HPO4, 40 mM NaH2PO4, 10 mM KCl, 1 mM MgSO4, and 50 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, pH 7.0), and lysed with 0.1% of SDS and 10% chloroform at 30°C for 15 min. The liquid ß-galactosidase assays were carried out as described previously [35].

GST Pull-Down Assay

Escherichia coli BL21 cells transformed with pGEX-4T1 only and pGEX expressing different regions of ASC-1 or AR were grown at 37°C, and the synthesis of GST fusion proteins was induced for 3 h by addition of 0.1 mM isopropylthio-ß-D-galactoside as a final concentration. The GST fusion proteins were isolated with glutathione-Sepharose-4B beads (Pharmacia, Biotech AB, Uppsala, Sweden), washed twice with PBS, and then incubated with 35S-labeled methionine proteins produced by in vitro translation using the TNT-coupled transcription-translation system (Promega) under the conditions recommended by the manufacturer. Specifically bound proteins were eluted from the beads with 40 mM reduced glutathione in 50 mM Tris (pH 8.0) and analyzed by 10% SDS-PAGE and autoradiography.

Transient Transfection Assays

CV-1, HeLa, and 15P-1 cells were maintained in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium (Life Technologies) in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum. Twenty-four hours before transfection, cells were plated in 24-well plates (3 x 104 cells/well) and transfected with the indicated amount of expression plasmids, the reporter plasmid pARE2-TATA-Luc, and control lacZ expression plasmid pCMVß using Superfect reagent (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Total amounts of expression vectors were kept constant by adding appropriate amounts of pcDNA3. Twenty-four hours after transfection, the medium was replaced with fresh medium containing 10% charcoal-stripped serum and either 10 nM testosterone or vehicle (ethanol). Cells were harvested 24 h after hormone treatment, and luciferase and ß-galactosidase activities were assayed as described previously [36]. The levels of luciferase activity were normalized to the lacZ expression.


    RESULTS
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
ASC-1 Expression in Mouse Testis

To examine the function of ASC-1 in the testis, we investigated its expression pattern in the mouse testis. Northern blot analysis revealed that ASC-1 mRNA is expressed in multiple forms in adult mouse testis, with testis-specific stronger bands of approximately 2.4 and 2.6 kilobases (kb) and a weaker, 3.4-kb mRNA that was also detected at a relatively low level in all mouse tissues examined (Fig. 1A). In the mouse testis, the expression of testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs was developmentally regulated, whereas the expression of the ubiquitously expressed form was relatively constant during testis development (Fig. 1B). The testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs were undetectable at 14 days, were present at a low level at 24 days, and were increased dramatically in intensity from 33 to 56 days. It is intriguing that the onset of their expression coincided with puberty.



View larger version (96K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 1. Expression of ASC-1 mRNAs in mouse testis. Northern blots of total RNA (20 µg/lane) from adult mouse tissues (A) and of total RNA (20 µg/lane) from mouse testes of different ages (B) are shown. Both blots were hybridized with 32P-labeled mouse ASC-1 cDNA (nucleotides 216–1133) probe as described in Materials and Methods. Arrows indicate the different sizes of ASC-1 transcripts. 18S ribosomal RNA or glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase was used as a control for the quantity of RNA. The data are representative of at least three similar experiments

Cloning of a Mouse Testis-Specific Variant of ASC-1 mRNA

To identify the testis-specific transcripts, we screened a mouse testis cDNA library and cloned another form of ASC-1 cDNA (2629 bp). Sequence analysis revealed that the mouse testis-specific cDNA has exactly the same coding region with the previously reported mouse ASC-1 cDNA (1797 bp, cloned from a liver cDNA library, GenBank accession no. AF197574) but with different nucleotide sequences in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). To confirm that the cDNA clone is a testis-specific form of ASC-1, RT-PCR was carried out with three different primer sets (Fig. 2B). The results showed that with primer set 1 (primers 1–4) and 2 (primers 2–4), the expected PCR products were produced with RNA from only testis, not from liver and kidney (Fig. 2B, upper and middle), whereas with primer set 3 (primers 3 and 4), which spans the ORF of ASC-1, the expected PCR product was produced with RNA from all tissues (Fig. 2B, bottom). These RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the testis-specific ASC-1 cDNA is not an artifact generated during the construction of the cDNA library and that mouse testis expresses bona fide testis-specific transcripts of ASC-1. For more definitive evidence, Northern blot analyses were also carried out with three probes spanning different regions of the testis-specific ASC-1 cDNA. The result showed that the probes (nucleotides 1–195 and 628–825) spanning the 5'-UTR detect only testis-specific transcripts, whereas the probe (nucleotides 1040–1957, corresponding to nucleotides 216–1133 of the mouse liver ASC-1 cDNA) spanning the ORF detects all ASC-1 transcripts (Fig. 2C). These results also suggest that all ASC-1 mRNAs likely share the same coding region and are alternative splicing products. This postulation is further supported by several lines of experimental results. First, Southern blot analysis showed that the mouse has a single copy of the ASC-1 gene (Fig. 2D), indicating transcription of different forms of ASC-1 mRNA from the same gene. Second, RT-PCR of total testis RNA with 11 ASC-1 primer sets (combinations from six sense and three antisense primers located in different exons of the coding region; unpublished data) gave only a single expected size of PCR product (data not shown). Finally, with four different probes covering the whole ORF region in the mouse ASC-1 cDNA, the same results as those of Northern blot analyses were obtained, detecting all the ASC-1 mRNAs as detailed in Figure 1 (data not shown).



View larger version (66K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 2. Cloning of a mouse testis specific variant of ASC-1. A) Schematic representation of the cloned mouse testis-specific ASC-1 cDNA. The black box indicates the coding region, and the white boxes indicate the untranslated regions. Position and orientation of primers (P) used for RT-PCR are indicated: P1, sense, nucleotides 354–371; P2, sense, nucleotides 628–645; P3, sense, nucleotides 1067–1086; and P4, antisense, nucleotides 1369–1388. Three regions (Probes 1, 2, and 3) used in Northern blot analysis as probes are marked as lines. Mouse testis-specific ASC-1 cDNA sequences (nucleotides 1040–1957) correspond to mouse liver ASC-1 cDNA (nucleotides 216–1133). B) RT-PCR analyses for the testis-specific ASC-1 message in tissues. Under each panel, a primer pair and the expected target size are indicated. (-) RTase, PCR with RT reaction that omitted the reverse transcriptase; (-) Template, PCR without the RT template. C) Northern blots of total RNA (20 µg/lane) from mouse testes of different ages. Each age was selected as a representative for the expression of a different transcript at a different level. Liver and ovary are included as negative controls for the testis-specific ASC-1 transcript (tASC-1). The blots were made in triplicates from the same RNA preparation and were hybridized with three different probes (Probe 1, Probe 2, and Probe 3) at the same time. Arrowheads and an arrow indicate the testis-specific and ubiquitously expressed ASC-1 transcript, respectively. 18S rRNA was used as control for the quantity of RNA. The data are representative of three similar experiments. D) Southern blot analysis of mouse genomic DNA that was cut with different restriction enzymes. The position of size markers is marked.

ASC-1 Is Highly Expressed in Leydig Cells of the Testis

To identify the testicular cells expressing ASC-1 mRNAs, in situ hybridization analysis was performed with cryostat sections of the mouse adult testis using antisense mouse ASC-1 cRNA probe (nucleotides 391–707, corresponding to testis-specific ASC-1 nucleotides 1214–1780). Although some signals were observed in the cells at the periphery of the seminiferous tubules, peritubular cells, and, perhaps, spermatogonia, ASC-1 mRNAs were strongly detected within the interstitial compartment, especially in the Leydig cells (Fig. 3, C and E), which express AR. Negative control with sense probe showed only background level of signal (Fig. 3D). The ASC-1 signals were hardly detected in the testis of 14-day-old mice (data not shown). Along with the relative abundance of testis-specific ASC-1 transcripts in the adult testis (Fig. 1), this result suggests that the strong ASC-1 signals in interstitial cells represent at least testis-specific ASC-1 transcripts.



View larger version (104K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 3. ASC-1 is expressed in the testicular somatic cells of the mouse testis. A–E) ASC-1 expression in the interstitial cells. In situ hybridization of ASC-1 transcripts was carried out using radiolabeled mouse ASC-1 cRNA (nucleotides 391–707, corresponding to testis-specific ASC-1 nucleotides 1214–1780) in the adult testis. Bright-field photomicrographs of seminiferous tubules hybridized with antisense (A) and sense (B) ASC-1 cRNA are shown, as are dark-field photomicrographs with antisense (C) and sense (D) ASC-1 cRNA. A high-magnification view of interstitial compartments hybridized with antisense ASC-1 cRNA is also shown (E; bright-field). Arrows indicate interstitial Leydig cells (L) with strong signals of ASC-1 mRNA. IC, Interstitial cells; ST, seminiferous tubule. F) ASC-1 expression in the hpg testis. RT-PCR analyses of total RNAs from hpg adult testis as well as wild-type (wt) testis and liver as controls were conducted with an ASC-1 primer set (described in Materials and Methods) that spans the whole ORF region. Southern blot analysis of the same gel was performed with mouse ASC-1 cDNA probe (nucleotides 216–1133, corresponding to mouse testis-specific ASC-1 cDNA nucleotides 1040–1957) is also shown. M, DNA size marker; (-) Template, PCR reaction without the RT template. Magnification x100 (A–D) and x400 (E)

The expression of ASC-1 in testicular somatic cells was further supported by RT-PCR with total RNA from adult testis with hypogonadism (hpg) that consists mostly of somatic cells because of the arrest of spermatogenesis by the diplotene stage. The expected 1.75-kb PCR product was produced from hpg testis as well as the controls, wild-type (wt) testis and liver (Fig. 3F). By Southern blot analysis of the same gel with mouse ASC-1 cDNA probe, the 1.75-kb PCR product was confirmed to be amplified from ASC-1 mRNAs (Fig. 3F). These results suggest that the message for ASC-1 is expressed in the hpg testis, probably in the somatic cells. However, whether the hpg testis expresses the ubiquitous and/or testis-specific forms of ASC-1 mRNA is unclear from these experiments.

ASC-1 Interaction with AR in Yeast

Because ASC-1 mRNAs were increased around the onset of spermatogenesis and highly expressed in the interstitial cells, which reflects AR expression, the interaction of ASC-1 with AR was investigated. Yeast liquid ß-galactosidase assay was performed using AR fused to LexA DNA-binding domain and ASC-1 cloned in-frame to B42 activation domain. As shown in Figure 4, LexA-AR fusion protein itself showed weak androgen-dependent autonomous transactivation activity, whereas B42-ASC-1 alone showed negligible activity. The presence of both partners, however, induced strong activation of the ß-galactosidase reporter. This interaction of ASC-1 with AR was androgen (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone)-dependent (Fig. 4 and results not shown). Further analyses of the ligand specificity in yeast with estradiol, progesterone, dexamethasone, and retinoic acid revealed that none of these hormones induced a detectable AR interaction with ASC-1 at the concentration of 10 nM (data not shown), indicating the stringent androgen dependence of the AR interaction with ASC-1.



View larger version (15K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 4. Interaction between ASC-1 and AR is androgen-dependent. Coexpression of mouse AR-fused LexA with human ASC-1-fused B42 results in clear activation of ß-galactosidase reporter in yeast, but only in the presence of 100 nM testosterone (+T). The ß-galactosidase activity of yeast transformed with LexA-AR along with B42-ASC-1 in the presence of ligand is set as 100. All values represent the mean ± SEM of at least three independent colonies. *P < 0.05 vs. control with B42 empty vector (without ASC-1 fusion)

To determine which region of the ASC-1 is able to interact with AR, yeast liquid ß-galactosidase assay was performed using B42 fusion proteins of ASC-1 fragments: full-length ASC-1 (residues 1–581), the N-terminal (ASC-1A, residues 1–124), the middle portion containing the zinc-finger domain (ASC-1B, residues 125–280), and the C-terminal part (ASC-1C, residues 266–581) (Fig. 5A). The results showed that testosterone at 100 nM promotes the interaction of AR with ASC-1B as much as with the full-length ASC-1 (Fig. 5B), indicating that ASC-1B containing the zinc-finger domain is sufficient to interact with AR.



View larger version (20K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 5. Mapping of the AR and ASC-1 interaction domains. A) Schematic representation of the full-length human ASC-1 and different ASC-1 deletion mutants used in yeast two-hybrid assay. B) Interaction region of ASC-1 for AR. ASC-1B is able to interact with AR. C) Schematic representation of the full-length mouse AR and deletion mutants used in yeast two-hybrid assay. D) Interaction domain of AR for ASC-1. AR-hLBD contributes to the androgen-dependent interaction with ASC-1. LexA-AR was coexpressed along with B42 only or B42 fusions of the full-length ASC-1 or ASC-1 deletion mutants (B), and LexA fusion proteins of AR and AR deletion mutants were coexpressed with B42 only or B42-ASC-1 (D) in the absence (-T) or presence (+T) of 100 nM testosterone. The ß-galactosidase activity of yeast transformed with LexA-AR along with B42-ASC-1 in the presence of ligand is set as 100. All values represent the mean ± SEM of at least three independent colonies. *P < 0.05 vs. control with B42 empty vector

To investigate which individual domain of AR is responsible for its interaction with ASC-1, we coexpressed LexA fusion proteins of AR deletion mutants (Fig. 5C) together with B42-ASC-1 in the yeast liquid ß-galactosidase assay (Fig. 5D). The AR-hLBD was able to interact with ASC-1 in a ligand-dependent manner as strongly as the full-length AR, whereas it did not interact with B42 only. In contrast to the full-length AR, however, AR-hLBD interaction with ASC-1 showed more stringent androgen dependence, producing undetectable ß-galactosidase activity in the absence of testosterone, which may be caused by the lack of the AF1 domain of AR. Coexpression of LexA-AR-AF1DBDh with B42-ASC-1 strongly increased ß-galactosidase activity irrespective of the presence of testosterone. This likely results from the constitutive transactivation activity of the AF1 domain of AR in the absence of the LBD [37, 38], because coexpression of LexA-AR-AF1DBDh with B42 empty vector also showed strong ß-galactosidase activity in the absence and presence of testosterone. Thus, it can hardly be judged from this experiment whether AR-AF1DBDh interacts with ASC-1. Taken together, the results suggest that the hLBD of AR is the major contributor to the androgen-dependent interaction with ASC-1.

Direct Interaction of ASC-1 with AR In Vitro

Based on the results that ASC-1 interacts with AR in yeast cells, physical interactions between ASC-1 and AR and the region of each protein responsible for their interaction were assessed by GST pull-down experiments. [35S]methionine-labeled AR produced by in vitro translation was allowed to bind the GST fusion proteins of the full-length ASC-1, ASC-1A, ASC-1B, and ASC-1C (Fig. 6A). Whereas AR could interact with the full-length ASC-1, a stronger interaction was observed with ASC-1B containing a zinc-finger motif. Given the results that ASC-1 interacts with the hLBD of AR in yeast and that ASC-1 generally binds to the hinge domain of nuclear receptors, involvement of the AR-hinge region in the direct interaction with ASC-1 was tested using 35S-labeled methionine ASC-1 and GST fusion protein of AR-hLBD or AR-LBD (Fig. 6B). A specific retention of ASC-1 protein was observed for the samples with GST-AR-hLBD, but little retention was observed with GST-AR-LBD. The binding between AR and ASC-1 was not significantly affected by androgen in the GST pull-down experiments. Similar observations have been reported for other nuclear-receptor coregulators [3943]. These may be caused by improper protein folding of the GST fusions or an as-yet-unknown factor in cells that prevents the interaction of ASC-1 and AR in the absence of androgen. The results from the GST pull-down experiments are consistent with those from the yeast two-hybrid experiments, and they suggest that the ASC-1 region containing the zinc-finger motif and the hinge of AR mainly contribute to the interaction between AR and ASC-1.



View larger version (13K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 6. Direct interaction of AR with ASC-1 in vitro. A) Interaction domain of ASC-1 for AR. B) Interaction domain of AR for ASC-1. Bacterially produced GST alone or GST fusion proteins were bound to a glutathione-agarose bead and incubated in the absence (-T) or presence (+T) of 100 nM testosterone with equivalent amounts of the 35S-labeled mouse AR (A) or human ASC-1 (B) produced by in vitro translation. Approximately 20% of the labeled proteins used in the binding reaction were loaded as input. The data are representative of at least three similar experiments

ASC-1 Activates AR Transactivation

Because ASC-1 has been shown to interact with AR (Figs. 4–6), we next attempted to determine whether ASC-1 could influence androgen-induced AR transactivation. The AR and ASC-1 expression plasmids, along with a minimal reporter gene construct regulated by two AREs in front of E1b TATA sequence (pARE2-TATA-Luc [16]), were transiently transfected into CV-1 cells, and the effects on luciferase activity were measured. As shown in Figure 7A, AR activated the expression of the reporter gene by approximately 7-fold in the presence of testosterone. Coexpressed ASC-1 further enhanced this androgen-dependent AR transactivation up to approximately 2.8-fold, whereas ASC-1 only had no effect on the expression of the reporter gene. Similar results were obtained with HeLa cells (data not shown).



View larger version (12K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
FIG. 7. Effects of ASC-1 expression on AR function and comparison with other AR coregulators. A) Coexpression of ASC-1 enhances the ligand-dependent AR transactivation activity. B) The modulation capacity of ASC-1 on AR transactivation is comparable with that of other coactivators. CV-1 cells were transiently cotransfected with an empty or AR expression plasmid and ARE2-TATA-Luc reporter along with increasing amounts of ASC-1-encoding plasmid (A). In 15P-1 cells, each of ARA70, p300, ASC-1, and Smad3 expression vectors was transiently cotransfected with AR in 10-fold higher concentration than AR expression plasmid (B). White and black bars indicate the absence and presence of 10 nM testosterone, respectively. Relative luciferase activity represents the percentage of stimulated activity above the level of activity with AR and reporter gene alone in the presence of testosterone, which is set as 100%. Transfections were done a minimum of three times, and error bars represent the SEM. *P < 0.05 vs. control without ASC-1 (or other cofactor) expression vector.

To estimate the modulation capacity of ASC-1 on AR transactivation in comparison with other AR coregulators, coactivators (ARA70 and p300) [23, 25], a corepressor (Smad3) [44], and ASC-1 were cotransfected with AR into 15P-1 Sertoli cells, and their effects on the reporter expression were compared. As shown in Figure 7B, ASC-1 is able to enhance the transactivation of AR to an extent comparable with those of other coactivators.


    DISCUSSION
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Many studies, including biochemical and genetic studies, suggest that nuclear receptors may form distinct complexes containing different coregulators and integrators as well as transcription factors for their tissue-specific actions. The ASC-1 has been suggested to be a component of such distinct complexes, interacting with some nuclear receptors, transcription factors, and coactivators. In the present study, we have investigated the expression of ASC-1 in the mouse testis to examine its role in spermatogenesis. The concomitant temporal and spatial expression of ASC-1 transcripts with AR in the testis, then, let us test its association with AR and modulation of AR transactivation.

The ASC-1 was highly expressed in Leydig cells in the interstitial compartment of mouse adult testis (Fig. 3E), which are the same cells that express AR [6, 7]. Considering the relative abundance of the testis forms of ASC-1 message in the adult testis (Fig. 1), the strong intensity of the signals in the in situ hybridization analysis suggests that the Leydig cells express at least testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs, for which the onset of expression coincides with puberty (Fig. 1B). Coincidence of the expression of AR and ASC-1 in testicular somatic cells and their increased expression during sexual maturation implicate ASC-1 as a coregulator for AR in vivo.

Expression of testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs was not detected in Leydig cell lines, MA10 and TM3 (results not shown). Along with their expression from puberty, this suggests that expression of testis-specific ASC-1 mRNAs may require developing germ cells and is possibly regulated by communication among testicular cells (germ cells, Sertoli cells, myoid cells, and Leydig cells) involving paracrine and autocrine factors. Indeed, there have been reports that expression of some genes, such as serotonin receptor, sertolin, testicular haploid expressed gene, neural cell adhesion molecule, and glycosaminoglycan, are regulated by such testicular cell-cell communications [4549].

The interaction between ASC-1 and AR is readily detectable in a yeast two-hybrid system and GST pull-down assay (Figs. 5D and 6B). Like TR and, probably, RXR, which interact with ASC-1 through their hinge domain [32], AR also interacts with ASC-1 through its hinge region. The ASC-1 has a putative zinc-finger motif that provides binding sites for nuclear receptors and coactivators [32]. The ASC-1B, containing the zinc-finger domain (123 amino acids) and an extra 43 amino acids, also appears to be sufficient for binding to AR, as demonstrated by the yeast two-hybrid assay and the GST pull-down analysis (Figs. 5B and 6A). These results raise the possibility that ASC-1 may function in a similar mode for different nuclear receptors, functioning in conjugation with other coregulators.

In a spermatogenic cycle, different stages of spermatogenesis have different sensitivity to androgen [5052]. This could be achieved by regulating the expression of AR [7] and/or by controlling AR transactivation in a constant state of ligand activation. During the last several years, many studies have shown AR coregulators that are expressed in a ubiquitous or testis-specific manner and that function in an AR-specific or -nonspecific way. They may act in concert to control the fine-tuning of AR activity under different cellular conditions in the testis. The ASC-1, which is coexpressed and associates with AR in testicular somatic cells, may also have such a role in spermatogenesis.

In conclusion, our data demonstrated that ASC-1, associated with AR in a ligand-dependent manner, modulates the AR-dependent transactivation. Its concomitant expression with AR in the testis enhances the possibility that ASC-1 functions as an AR coregulator in vivo. Further studies of ASC-1, for example, with null mutants of testis-specific forms by the knockout mouse approach may provide strong insight regarding the physiological function(s) of ASC-1 in the testis.


    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
We thank Dr. D.J. Tindall for the plasmid encoding mouse AR, Dr. J.J. Palvimo for the pARE2-TATA-Luc, and Dr. H.S. Choi for the plasmid encoding ARA70 and for critical reading of the manuscript. We are grateful to Histech Com. (Chinju, Korea) for help with the in situ hybridization analysis.


    FOOTNOTES
 
1 Supported by a Korea Research Foundation grant (KRF-99-015-DP0359) and a Hormone Research Center grant (2000G0101). Back

2 Correspondence. FAX: 82 62 530 0500; klee{at}chonnam.ac.kr Back

3 The first two authors contributed equally to this work Back

Received: 1 April 2002.

First decision: 26 April 2002.

Accepted: 20 June 2002.


    REFERENCES
 TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 

  1. Quigley CA, De Bellis A, Marschke KB, El-Awady MK, Wilson EM, French FS. Androgen receptor defects: historical, clinical, and molecular perspectives. Endocr Rev 1995 16:271-321[CrossRef][Medline]
  2. McPhaul MJ, Marcelli M, Zoppi S, Griffin JE, Wilson JD. Genetic basis of endocrine disease. 4. The spectrum of mutations in the androgen receptor gene that causes androgen resistance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1993 76:17-23[Abstract]
  3. Russell LD, Clermont Y. Degeneration of germ cells in normal, hypophysectomized and hormone-treated hypophysectomized rats. Anat Rec 1977 187:347-366[CrossRef][Medline]
  4. Bartlett JMS, Kerr JB, Sharpe RM. The effect of selective destruction and regeneration of rat Leydig cells on the intratesticular distribution of testosterone and morphology of the seminiferous epithelium. J Androl 1986 7:240-253[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  5. Tindall DJ, Miller A, Means AR. Characterization of androgen receptor in Sertoli cell-enriched testis. Endocrinology 1977 101:13-23[Medline]
  6. Sar M, Lubahn DB, French FS, Wilson EM. Immunohistochemical localization of the androgen receptor in rat and human tissues. Endocrinology 1990 127:3180-3186[Abstract]
  7. Bremner WJ, Millar MR, Sharpe RM, Saunders PT. Immunohistochemical localization of androgen receptors in the rat testis: evidence for stage-dependent expression and regulation by androgens. Endocrinology 1994 135:1227-1234[Abstract]
  8. Skinner MK. Cell-cell interactions in testis. Endocr Rev 1991 12:45-77[Medline]
  9. Sar M, Hall SH, Wilson EM, French FS. Androgen regulation of Sertoli cells. In: Russell LD, Griswold MD (eds.), The Sertoli Cell. Clearwater, FL: Cache River Press; 1993: 509–516
  10. Beato M, Herrlich P, Schutz G. Steroid hormone receptors—many actors in search of a plot. Cell 1995 83:851-857[CrossRef][Medline]
  11. Manselsdorf DJ, Thummel C, Beato M, Herrlich P, Schutz G, Umesono K, Blumberg B, Kastner P, Mark M, Chambon P, Evans RM. The nuclear receptor superfamily: the second decade. Cell 1995 83:835-839[CrossRef][Medline]
  12. Tsai MJ, O'Malley BW. Molecular mechanisms of action of steroid/thyroid-receptor superfamily members. Annu Rev Biochem 1994 63:451-486[CrossRef][Medline]
  13. Danielian PS, White R, Lees JA, Parker MG. Identification of a conserved region required for hormone-dependent transcriptional activation by steroid hormone receptors. EMBO J 1992 11:1025-1033[Medline]
  14. Durand B, Saunders M, Gaudon C, Roy B, Losson R, Chambon P. 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. EMBO J 1994 13:5370-5382[Medline]
  15. Moilanen A, Rouleau N, Ikonen T, Palvimo JJ, Jänne OA. The presence of transcription activation function in the hormone-binding domain of androgen receptor is revealed by studies in yeast cells. FEBS Lett 1997 412:355-358[CrossRef][Medline]
  16. Wong C-I, Zhou Z-X, Sar M, Wilson EM. Steroid requirement for androgen receptor dimerization and DNA binding: modulation by intramolecular interactions between the NH2-terminal and steroid-binding domains. J Biol Chem 1993 268:19004-19012[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  17. Langley E, Zhou Z-X, Wilson EM. Evidence for an anti-parallel orientation of the ligand-activated human androgen receptor dimer. J Biol Chem 1995 270:29983-29990[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  18. Horwitz KB, Jackson TA, Bain DL, Richer JK, Takimoto GS, Tung L. Nuclear receptor coactivators and corepressors. Mol Endocrinol 1996 10:1167-1177[Abstract]
  19. Xu L, Glass CK, Rosenfeld MG. Coactivator and corepressor complexes in nuclear receptor function. Curr Opin Genet Dev 1999 9:140-147[CrossRef][Medline]
  20. McKenna NJ, Lanz RB, O'Malley BW. Nuclear receptor coregulators: cellular and molecular biology. Endocr Rev 1999 20:321-344[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  21. Berrevotes CA, Doesburg P, Steketee K, Trapman J, Brinkmann AO. Functional interactions of the AF-2 activation domain core region of the human androgen receptor with the amino-terminal domain and with the transcriptional coactivator TIF2 (transcriptional intermediary factor 2). Mol Endocrinol 1998 12:1172-1183[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  22. Moilanen A-M, Poukka H, Karvonen U, Hakli M, Jänne OA, Palvimo JJ. Identification of a novel RING finger protein as a coregulator in steroid receptor-mediated gene transcription. Mol Cell Biol 1998 18:5128-5139[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  23. Yeh S, Chang C. Cloning and characterization of a specific coactivator, ARA70, for the androgen receptor in human prostate cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996 93:5517-5521[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  24. Moilanen A-M, Karvonen U, Poukka H, Yan W, Toppari J, Jänne OA, Palvimo JJ. A testis-specific androgen receptor coregulator that belongs to a novel family of nuclear proteins. J Biol Chem 1999 274:3700-3704[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  25. Aarnisalo P, Palvimo JJ, Jänne OA. CREB-binding protein in androgen receptor-mediated signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1998 95:2122-2127[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  26. Poukka H, Aarnisalo P, Karvonen U, Palvimo JJ, Jänne OA. Ubc9 interacts with the androgen receptor and activates receptor-dependent transcription. J Biol Chem 1999 274:19441-19446[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  27. Tan J-A, Hall SH, Hamil KG, Grossman G, Petrusz P, Liao J, Shuai K, French FS. Protein inhibitor of activated STAT-1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-1) is a nuclear receptor coregulator expressed in human testis. Mol Endocrinol 2000 14:14-26[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  28. Moilanen A-M, Karvonen U, Poukka H, Jänne OA, Palvimo JJ. Activation of androgen receptor function by a novel nuclear protein kinase. Mol Biol Cell 1998 9:2527-2543[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  29. Tan J-A, Hall SH, Petrusz P, French FS. Thyroid receptor activator molecule, TRAM-1, is an androgen-receptor coactivator. Endocrinology 2000 141:3440-3450[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  30. Müller JM, Isele U, Metzger E, Rempel A, Moser M, Pscherer A, Breyer T, Holubarsch C, Buettner R, Schüle R. FHL2, a novel tissue-specific coactivator of the androgen receptor. EMBO J 2000 19:359-369[CrossRef][Medline]
  31. Lee JW, Choi HS, Gyuris J, Brent R, Moore DD. Two classes of proteins dependent on either the presence or absence of thyroid hormone for interaction with the thyroid hormone receptor. Mol Endocrinol 1995 9:243-254[Abstract]
  32. Kim HJ, Yi JY, Sung HS, Moore DD, Jhun BH, Lee YC, Lee JW. Activating signal cointegrator 1, a novel transcription coactivator of nuclear receptors, and its cytosolic localization under conditions of serum deprivation. Mol Cell Biol 1999 19:6323-6332[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  33. Ausubell FM, Brent R, Kingston RE, Moore DD, Sediman JG, Smith JA, Struhl K, (eds.), Current Protocols in Molecular Biology. New York: Greene Associates; 1995
  34. Simmons DM, Arriza JL, Swanson LW. A complete protocol for in situ hybridization of messenger RNAs in brain and other tissues with radiolabeled single-stranded RNA probes. J Histochem 1989 12:169-181
  35. Lee JW, Moore DD, Heyman RA. A chimeric thyroid hormone receptor constitutively bound to DNA requires retinoid X receptor for hormone-dependent transcriptional activation in yeast. Mol Endocrinol 1994 8:1245-1252[Abstract]
  36. Chen H, Lin RJ, Schiltz RL, Chakravarti D, Nash A, Nagy L, Privalsky ML, Nakatani Y, Evans RM. Nuclear-receptor coactivator ACTR is a novel histone acetyltransferase and forms a multimeric activation complex with P/CAF and CBP/p300. Cell 1997 90:569-580[CrossRef][Medline]
  37. Ikonen T, Palvimo JJ, Janne OA. Interaction between the amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of the rat androgen receptor modulates transcriptional activity and is influenced by nuclear receptor coactivators. J Biol Chem 1997 272:29821-29828[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  38. Kelce WR, Stone CR, Laws SC, Gray LE, Kemppainen JA, Wilson EM. Persistent DDT metabolite p,p'-DDE is a potent androgen receptor antagonist. Nature 1995 375:581-585[CrossRef][Medline]
  39. Onate SA, Tsai SY, Tsai MJ, O'Malley BW. Sequence and characterization of a coactivator for the steroid hormone receptor superfamily. Science 1995 270:1354-1357[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  40. Hong H, Kohli K, Trivedi A, Johnson DL, Stallcup MR. GRIP1, a novel mouse protein that serves as a transcriptional coactivator in yeast for the hormone binding domains of steroid receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996 93:4948-4952[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  41. Brady ME, Ozanne DM, Gaughan L, Waite L, Cook S, Neal DE, Robson CN. Tip60 is a nuclear hormone receptor coactivator. J Biol Chem 1999 274:17599-17604[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  42. Sharma M, Zarnegar M, Li X, Lim B, Sun Z. Androgen receptor interacts with a novel MYST protein, HBO1. J Biol Chem 2000 275:35200-35208[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  43. Yang F, Li X, Sharma M, Zarnegar M, Lim B, Sun Z. Androgen receptor specifically interacts with a novel p21-activated kinase, PAK6. J Biol Chem 2001 276:15345-15353[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  44. Hayes SA, Zarnegar M, Sharma M, Yang F, Peehl DM, ten Dijke P, Sun Z. SMAD3 represses androgen receptor-mediated transcription. Cancer Res 2001 61:2112-2118[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  45. Syed V, Gomez E, Hecht NB. Messenger ribonucleic acids encoding a serotonin receptor and a novel gene are induced in Sertoli cells by a secreted factor(s) from male rat meiotic germ cells. Endocrinology 1999 140:5754-5760[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  46. Mruk DD, Cheng CY. Sertolin is a novel gene marker of cell-cell interactions in the rat testis. J Biol Chem 1999 274:27056-27068[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  47. Nayernia K, von Mering MH, Kraszucka K, Burfeind P, Wehrend A, Kohler M, Schmid M, Engel W. A novel testicular haploid expressed gene (THEG) involved in mouse spermatid-Sertoli cell interaction. Biol Reprod 1999 60:1488-1495[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  48. Li LH, Jester WF Jr, Orth JM. Expression of 140-kDa neural cell adhesion molecule in developing testis in vivo and in long-term Sertoli cell-gonocyte cocultures. J Androl 1998 19:365-373[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  49. Raychoudhury SS, Blackshaw AW, Irving MG. Hormonal modulation of the interactions of cultured rat testicular Sertoli and peritubular myoid cells. Effects on glycosaminoglycan synthesis. J Androl 1993 14:9-16[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  50. Ghosh S, Sinba-Hikim AP, Russell LD. Further observations of stage-specific effects seen after short-term hypophysectomy in the rat. Tissue Cell 1991 23:613-630[CrossRef][Medline]
  51. Sharpe RM, Maddocks S, Millar M, Saunders PT, Kerr JB, McKinnell C. Testosterone and spermatogenesis: Identification of stage-dependent, androgen-regulated proteins secreted by adult rat seminiferous tubules. J Androl 1992 13:172-184[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  52. Kerr JB, Millar M, Maddocks S, McKinnell C. Stage-dependent changes in spermatogenesis and Sertoli cells in relation to the onset of spermatogenic failure following withdrawal of testosterone. Anat Rec 1993 235:547-559[CrossRef][Medline]



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Mol Cancer ResHome page
J. H. Suh, E.-Y. Gong, J. B. Kim, I.-K. Lee, H.-S. Choi, and K. Lee
Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-1c Represses the Transactivation of Androgen Receptor and Androgen-Dependent Growth of Prostatic Cells
Mol. Cancer Res., February 1, 2008; 6(2): 314 - 324.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Endocrinol.Home page
J. H. Suh, M. Shong, H.-S. Choi, and K. Lee
CR6-Interacting Factor 1 Represses the Transactivation of Androgen Receptor by Direct Interaction
Mol. Endocrinol., January 1, 2008; 22(1): 33 - 46.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Endocr. Rev.Home page
H. V. Heemers and D. J. Tindall
Androgen Receptor (AR) Coregulators: A Diversity of Functions Converging on and Regulating the AR Transcriptional Complex
Endocr. Rev., December 1, 2007; 28(7): 778 - 808.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Endocrinol.Home page
S. Chattopadhyay, E.-Y. Gong, M. Hwang, E. Park, H. J. Lee, C. Y. Hong, H.-S. Choi, J.-H. Cheong, H. B. Kwon, and K. Lee
The CCAAT Enhancer-Binding Protein-{alpha} Negatively Regulates the Transactivation of Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer Cells
Mol. Endocrinol., May 1, 2006; 20(5): 984 - 995.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
C. Y. Hong, J. H. Suh, K. Kim, E.-Y. Gong, S. H. Jeon, M. Ko, R. H. Seong, H. B. Kwon, and K. Lee
Modulation of Androgen Receptor Transactivation by the SWI3-Related Gene Product (SRG3) in Multiple Ways
Mol. Cell. Biol., June 15, 2005; 25(12): 4841 - 4852.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
C. Y. Hong, J. H. Park, R. S. Ahn, S. Y. Im, H.-S. Choi, J. Soh, S. H. Mellon, and K. Lee
Molecular Mechanism of Suppression of Testicular Steroidogenesis by Proinflammatory Cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha
Mol. Cell. Biol., April 1, 2004; 24(7): 2593 - 2604.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Endocrinol.Home page
B.-C. Jeong, C. Y. Hong, S. Chattopadhyay, J. H. Park, E.-Y. Gong, H.-J. Kim, S.-Y. Chun, and K. Lee
Androgen Receptor Corepressor-19 kDa (ARR19), a Leucine-Rich Protein that Represses the Transcriptional Activity of Androgen Receptor through Recruitment of Histone Deacetylase
Mol. Endocrinol., January 1, 2004; 18(1): 13 - 25.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
C. Y. Hong, J. H. Park, K. H. Seo, J.-M. Kim, S. Y. Im, J. W. Lee, H.-S. Choi, and K. Lee
Expression of MIS in the Testis Is Downregulated by Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha through the Negative Regulation of SF-1 Transactivation by NF-{kappa}B
Mol. Cell. Biol., September 1, 2003; 23(17): 6000 - 6012.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol SciHome page
H. J. Lee, S. Chattopadhyay, E.-Y. Gong, R. S. Ahn, and K. Lee
Antiandrogenic Effects of Bisphenol A and Nonylphenol on the Function of Androgen Receptor
Toxicol. Sci., September 1, 2003; 75(1): 40 - 46.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lee, Y. S.
Right arrow