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- Title
Modulation of oestrogen receptor signalling by association with the activated dioxin receptor.
- Authors
Ohtake, Fumiaki; Takeyama, Ken-ichi; Matsumoto, Takahiro; Kitagawa, Hirochika; Yamamoto, Yasuji; Nohara, Keiko; Tohyama, Chiharu; Krust, Andree; Mimura, Junsei; Chambon, Pierre; Yanagisawa, Junn; Fujii-Kuriyama, Yoshiaki; Kato, Shigeaki
- Abstract
Environmental contaminants affect a wide variety of biological events in many species. Dioxins are typical environmental contaminants that exert adverse oestrogen-related effects. Although their anti-oestrogenic actions are well described, dioxins can also induce endometriosis and oestrogen-dependent tumours, implying possible oestrogenic effects. However, the molecular mechanism underlying oestrogen-related actions of dioxins remains largely unknown. A heterodimer of the dioxin receptor (AhR) and Arnt, which are basic helix-loop-helix/PAS-family transcription factors, mediates most of the toxic effects of dioxins. Here we show that the agonist-activated AhR/Arnt heterodimer directly associates with oestrogen receptors ER-alpha and ER-beta. This association results in the recruitment of unliganded ER and the co-activator p300 to oestrogen-responsive gene promoters, leading to activation of transcription and oestrogenic effects. The function of liganded ER is attenuated. Oestrogenic actions of AhR agonists were detected in wild-type ovariectomized mouse uteri, but were absent in AhR-/- or ER-alpha-/- ovariectomized mice. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism by which ER-mediated oestrogen signalling is modulated by a co-regulatory-like function of activated AhR/Arnt, giving rise to adverse oestrogen-related actions of dioxin-type environmental contaminants.
- Publication
Nature, 2003, Vol 423, Issue 6939, p545
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/nature01606