The oligomeric state of thyroid receptor regulates hormone binding kinetics.

We previously reported that mutations in the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) surface that mediates dimer and heterodimer formation do not alter affinity for cognate hormone (triiodothyronine (T(3))) yet dramatically enhance T(3) association and dissociation rates. This study aimed to show that TR oligomeric state influences binding and dissociation kinetics. We performed binding assays using marked hormone ((125)I-T(3)) and TRs expressed and purified by different methods.

A surface on the androgen receptor that allosterically regulates coactivator binding.

Current approaches to inhibit nuclear receptor (NR) activity target the hormone binding pocket but face limitations. We have proposed that inhibitors, which bind to nuclear receptor surfaces that mediate assembly of the receptor's binding partners, might overcome some of these limitations. The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in prostate cancer, but conventional inhibitors lose effectiveness as cancer treatments because anti-androgen resistance usually develops.