Non-classical mechanisms of steroid sensing in the ovary: lessons from the bovine oxytocin model

Ivell, Richard; Dai, Yanzhenzi; Mann, Navdeep; Anand-Ivell, Ravinder

Abstract

Steroidogenic tissues such as the ovary, testes or adrenal glands are paradoxical in that they often indicate actions of steroid hormones within a dynamic range of ligand concentration in a high nanomolar or even micromolar level, i.e. at the natural concentrations existing within those organs. Yet ligand-activated nuclear steroid receptors act classically by direct interaction with DNA in the picomolar or low nanomolar range. Moreover, global genomic studies suggest that less than 40% of steroid-regulated genes involve classical responsive elements in gene promoter regions. The bovine oxytocin gene is a key element in the maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants and is regulated via an SF1 site in its proximal promoter. This gene is also regulated by steroids acting in a non-classical manner, involving nuclear receptors which do not interact directly with DNA. Dose-response relationships for these actions are in the high nanomolar range. Similar ‘steroid sensing’ mechanisms may prevail for other SF1-regulated genes and predict alternative pathways by which environmental endocrine disruptors might influence the functioning of steroid-producing organs and hence indirectly the steroid-dependent control of physiology and development.

Citation

Ivell, R., Dai, Y., Mann, N., & Anand-Ivell, R. (2014). Non-classical mechanisms of steroid sensing in the ovary: lessons from the bovine oxytocin model. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 382(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2013.04.016

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 27, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Apr 28, 2013
• Publication Date: Jan 25, 2014
• Deposit Date: Oct 24, 2017
• Journal: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
• Print ISSN: 0303-7207
• Electronic ISSN: 1872-8057
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 382
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2013.04.016
• Keywords: Oxytocin ; Non-classical steroid signaling ;Oxytocin receptor ; Estrogen receptor-alpha ; Estrogen receptor-beta ;Bovine ovary
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/721135
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303720713001615
• Contract Date: Mar 21, 2017