Comment on "Nuclear receptor PXR targets AKR1B7 to protect mitochondrial metabolism and renal function in AKI".

The nuclear pregnane X receptor may not protect against ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury in mice.

Genetic association of the human GAP43 gene with schizophrenia in a Northeast Chinese Han population.

Background: GAP43, a membrane phosphoprotein with high expression level in the developing brains, plays an important role in higher integrative functions of the brain.

Materials And Methods: To explore the association of GAP43 with schizophrenia, 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined in a Northeast Chinese Han sample set consisting of 741 schizophrenia patients and 1330 healthy controls.

Results: The results showed that three SNPs were associated with schizophrenia (rs2028248, rs6790048, and rs2164930).

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) protects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in mice.

Cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (CAKI) has been recognized as one of the most serious side effects of cisplatin. Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand-dependent nuclear receptor and serves as a master regulator of xenobiotic detoxification. Increasing evidence also suggests PXR has many other functions including the regulation of cell proliferation, inflammatory response, and glucose and lipid metabolism.

Activation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) induces crystallin zeta expression in mouse medullary collecting duct cells.

Crystallin zeta (CRYZ) is a phylogenetically restricted water-soluble protein and provides cytoprotection against oxidative stress via multiple mechanisms. Increasing evidence suggests that CRYZ is high abundantly expressed in the kidney where it acts as a transacting factor in increasing glutaminolysis and the Na/K/2Cl cotransporter (BSC1/NKCC2) expression to help maintain acid-base balance and medullary hyperosmotic gradient. However, the mechanism by which CRYZ is regulated in the kidney remains largely uncharacterized.

Association of SOX11 Polymorphisms in distal 3'UTR with Susceptibility for Schizophrenia.

Background: Diverse and circumstantial evidence suggests that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Genes contributing to neurodevelopment may be potential candidates for schizophrenia. The human SOX11 gene is a member of the developmentally essential SOX (Sry-related HMG box) transcription factor gene family and mapped to chromosome 2p, a potential candidate region for schizophrenia.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation induces the antioxidant protein metallothionein 1 expression in mouse liver.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a metabolic nuclear receptor, which protects liver from many endogenous and exogenous injuries. Metallothioneins (MTs) belong to a low-molecular-weight protein family involved in metal homeostasis and the regulation of hepatic oxidative stress. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of FXR on hepatic MT1 expression and the underlying mechanism.

[Role of pregnane X receptor (PXR) in endobiotic metabolism].

As a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, the pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor. PXR is highly expressed in liver and intestinal tissues, and also found in other tissues and organs, such as stomach and kidney. After heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor (RXR), PXR recruits numerous co-activating factors, and binds to specific DNA response elements to perform transcriptional regulation of the downstream target genes.