Activation of the osteopontin promoter by the orphan nuclear receptor estrogen receptor related alpha.

Estrogen receptor related alpha (ERRalpha) is an orphan nuclear receptor that is closely related to the estrogen receptor. It is expressed in a variety of adult and embryonic tissues (in particular, at the onset of ossification), as well as in several osteoblastic cell lines. ERRalpha acts as a site-specific, cell-specific transcriptional activator. Here, we show that ERRalpha transactivates the promoter of the mouse osteopontin (OPN) gene, the product of which is a marker of the late stages of osteoblastic differentiation. This effect is cell specific and is exerted through derivatives of the ERRalpha response element. Overexpression of ERRalpha in three different osteoblast-like cell lines results in an elevation of the amount of OPN-corresponding mRNA. Therefore, OPN is a target gene for ERRalpha, pointing to the role of the latter in osteoblast differentiation.