Herbicide atrazine activates SF-1 by direct affinity and concomitant co-activators recruitments to induce aromatase expression via promoter II

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Apr 20;355(4):1012-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.02.062. Epub 2007 Feb 22.

Abstract

The popular herbicide atrazine is an endocrine disruptor that demasculinizes and feminizes several species of animals, and co-relates with breast and reproductive disorders in mammalians. We recently reported that atrazine induces human aromatase gene expression via promoter II (ArPII) in a steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1)-dependent manner. Here, we show that knockdown of SF-1 abolishes ArPII induction by atrazine in H295R cells, which harbor high SF-1 expression and are originally atrazine-responsive. Conversely, exogenous SF-1 enables atrazine to induce ArPII in the otherwise non-responsive KGN cells. Atrazine's effect is independent from protein kinase A and LRH-1, a close relative of SF-1. However, it binds directly to the SF-1, and concomitantly, enhances interactions of SF-1 with co-activator TIF2, and renders more SF-1 binding to ArPII chromatin. Intriguingly, LBD mutations do not alter SF-1's ability to mediate atrazine stimulation, suggesting that atrazine interacts with SF-1 via a region(s) other than the ligand binding pocket. These data suggest that atrazine binds to and activates SF-1 to induce ArPII.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aromatase / genetics*
  • Aromatase / metabolism*
  • Atrazine / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • Herbicides / pharmacology*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics*
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / genetics
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / metabolism
  • Steroidogenic Factor 1
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Herbicides
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • NR5A1 protein, human
  • NR5A2 protein, human
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • Steroidogenic Factor 1
  • Transcription Factors
  • steroidogenic factor 1, mouse
  • Aromatase
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Atrazine