Reproduction, Perinatal, and Child Health, Research Centre du Centre Universitaire de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
Biol Reprod. 2010 Jul;83(1):3-14. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.110.083824. Epub 2010 Apr 7.
Several signals, such as hormones and signaling molecules, have been identified as important regulators of Leydig cell differentiation and function. Conveying these signals and translating them into a genomic response to ensure an accurate physiological output requires the action of a network of transcription factors, including those belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. Nuclear receptors regulate expression of genes important for growth, differentiation, development, and homeostasis. Several nuclear receptors, such as steroid hormone receptors (NR3A and NR3C families), are activated upon ligand binding, whereas others, including members of the NR2C, NR2F, and NR4A families, either do not require a ligand or ligands have yet to be identified. Several nuclear receptors (e.g., NR2F2 and NR5A1) have been shown to play essential roles in Leydig cells, whereas for others (e.g., NR2B1 and NR4A1), the assessment of their function has been precluded by the early embryonic lethality associated with null mice or by redundancy mechanisms by other family members. This is now being overcome with the generation of novel approaches, including Leydig cell-specific knockout models. This review provides an overview of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors as they relate to Leydig cell gene expression and function.
有几种信号，如激素和信号分子，已被确定为莱迪希细胞分化和功能的重要调节因子。传递这些信号并将其转化为基因组反应，以确保准确的生理输出，需要转录因子网络的作用，包括属于核受体超家族的那些转录因子。核受体调节生长、分化、发育和内稳态所需基因的表达。几种核受体，如甾体激素受体（NR3A 和 NR3C 家族），在配体结合后被激活，而其他核受体，包括 NR2C、NR2F 和 NR4A 家族的成员，要么不需要配体，要么尚未确定配体。几种核受体（如 NR2F2 和 NR5A1）已被证明在莱迪希细胞中发挥重要作用，而对于其他核受体（如 NR2B1 和 NR4A1），由于与 null 小鼠相关的早期胚胎致死性或其他家族成员的冗余机制，对其功能的评估受到了阻碍。这正在通过生成新的方法来克服，包括莱迪希细胞特异性敲除模型。本文综述了核受体转录因子家族与莱迪希细胞基因表达和功能的关系。
