Pathway maps

Development_Ligand-dependent activation of the ESR1/AP-1 pathway
Development_Ligand-dependent activation of the ESR1/AP-1 pathway

Object List (links open in MetaCore):

p300, BAF, NCOA1 (SRC1), HDAC1, c-Jun/c-Fos, CtBP1, c-Jun, CBP, ESR1, NCOA2 (GRIP1/TIF2), RIP140, Estradiol cytoplasm, HDAC4, c-Fos


Ligand-dependent activation of the ESR1/AP-1 pathway

Estrogen receptor 1 ( ESR1 ) is a major ligand-activated transcription factor, member of the family nuclear receptors [1]. ESR1 acts via two main pathways: a ligand-dependent and ligand-independent [2]. Activated by a ligand, ESR1 stimulates transcription directly (classical pathway), or by activation of other transcription factors in ligand-dependent manner (non-classical pathway ). Members of AP-1 family Jun oncogene ( c-Jun ) and v-fos FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog ( c-Fos ) are a one of these transfactors [3], [4], [5].

Active ESR1 is a dimer bound to DNA at specific target sequences called estrogen response elements [2].

17beta-estradiol is a physiological ligand of the ESR1. In the absence of the 17beta-estradiol, ESR1 resides primarily in the nucleus, with some presence in cytoplasm. Ligand-bound ESR1 moves to the nucleus.

In the present of 17beta-estradiol, ESR1 recruits ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex BAF [6], [7] to estrogen-responsive promoters. Chromatin remodeling allows recruiting co-activators such as Nuclear receptor co-activator 1 ( NCOA1 (SRC1) ) [8] and Nuclear receptor co-activator 2 ( NCOA2 (GRIP1/TIF2) ) [4], [5].

17beta-estradiol/ ESR1/ co-activator complex then recruits integrator proteins and histone modifying enzymes such as CREB binding protein ( CBP ) and E1A binding protein p300 ( p300 ) [3], [9], [5].

Then, ESR1 directly binds to c-Jun protein. This interaction is stabilized by the coactivator NCOA2 (GRIP1/TIF2), which interacts with both c-Jun and ESR1 [4], [5]. In addition, NCOA1 (SRC1) may participate in this process interacting with c-Jun, c-Fos and ESR1 [3].

Nuclear receptor interacting protein 1 ( RIP140 ) is a regulator in ESR1/ AP-1 pathway. RIP140 physically interacts with c-Jun and ESR1 and inhibits estradiol-induced AP-1-mediated transcription. In addition, RIP140 directly binds to histone deacetylases (e.g, Histone deacetylase 4, HDAC4 ) and to co-repressor C-terminal binding protein 1 ( CtBP1 ) which itself interacts with histone deacetylases (e.g, Histone deacetylase 1, HDAC1 ). Deacetylation of chromatin proteins by histone deacetylases leads to inhibition of ESR1/ AP-1-induced transcription [5]. In addition, CtBP1 represses p300 -mediated transcriptional activation by direct association with its bromodomain [10].

ESR1 may activate transcription of RIP140, thus establishing a regulatory feedback loop [11].


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