A regulatory circuit mediating convergence between Nurr1 transcriptional regulation and Wnt signaling

Mol Cell Biol. 2007 Nov;27(21):7486-96. doi: 10.1128/MCB.00409-07. Epub 2007 Aug 20.

Abstract

The orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 is essential for the development and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, the cells that degenerate during Parkinson's disease, by promoting the transcription of genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Since Nurr1 lacks a classical ligand-binding pocket, it is not clear which factors regulate its activity and how these factors are affected during disease pathogenesis. Since Wnt signaling via beta-catenin promotes the differentiation of Nurr1(+) dopaminergic precursors in vitro, we tested for functional interactions between these systems. We found that beta-catenin and Nurr1 functionally interact at multiple levels. In the absence of beta-catenin, Nurr1 is associated with Lef-1 in corepressor complexes. Beta-catenin binds Nurr1 and disrupts these corepressor complexes, leading to coactivator recruitment and induction of Wnt- and Nurr1-responsive genes. We then identified KCNIP4/calsenilin-like protein as being responsive to concurrent activation by Nurr1 and beta-catenin. Since KCNIP4 interacts with presenilins, the Alzheimer's disease-associated proteins that promote beta-catenin degradation, we tested the possibility that KCNIP4 induction regulates beta-catenin signaling. KCNIP4 induction limited beta-catenin activity in a presenilin-dependent manner, thereby serving as a negative feedback loop; furthermore, Nurr1 inhibition of beta-catenin activity was absent in PS1(-/-) cells or in the presence of small interfering RNAs specific to KCNIP4. These data describe regulatory convergence between Nurr1 and beta-catenin, providing a mechanism by which Nurr1 could be regulated by Wnt signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks*
  • Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins / metabolism
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2
  • Presenilin-1 / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Rats
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • KCNIP4 protein, human
  • Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins
  • Lef1 protein, rat
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1
  • NR4A2 protein, human
  • Nr4a2 protein, mouse
  • Nr4a2 protein, rat
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2
  • Presenilin-1
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin