Nuclear receptor 4A2

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

NR4A2
Gene ontology
Molecular function
Cellular component
Biological process
Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Ensembl
UniProt
RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_006186
NM_173171
NM_173172
NM_173173

NM_001139509
NM_013613

RefSeq (protein)

NP_006177
NP_775265
NP_006177.1

NP_001132981
NP_038641

Location (UCSC)Chr 2: 156.32 – 156.34 MbChr 2: 57 – 57.01 Mb
PubMed search[3][4]
Wikidata
View/Edit HumanView/Edit Mouse

The nuclear receptor 4A2 (NR4A2) (nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2) also known as nuclear receptor related 1 protein (NURR1) is a

intracellular transcription factors
.

NR4A2 plays a key role in the maintenance of the

isoforms have been identified for this gene. Additional alternate splice variants may exist, but their full-length nature has not been determined.[7]

This protein is thought to be critical to development of the dopaminergic phenotype in the midbrain, as mice without NR4A2 are lacking expression of this phenotype. This is further confirmed by studies showing that forced NR4A2 expression in naïve precursor cells leads to complete dopaminergic phenotype gene expression.[8]

While NR4A2 is a key protein in inducing this phenotype, there are other factors required, as expressing NR4A2 in isolation fails to produce it. One of these suggested factors is winged-helix transcription factor 2 (Foxa2). Studies have found these two factors to be within the same region of developing dopaminergic neurons, and both were required to have expression for the dopaminergic phenotype. [8]

Structure

One investigation conducted research on the structure and found that NR4A2 does not contain a ligand-binding cavity but a patch filled with hydrophobic side chains. Non-polar amino acid residues of NR4A2’s co-regulators, SMRT and NCoR, bind to this hydrophobic patch. Analysis of tertiary structure has shown that the binding surface of the ligand-binding domain is located on the grooves of the 11th and 12th alpha helices. This study also found essential structural components of this hydrophobic patch, to be the three amino acids residues, F574, F592, L593; mutation of any these three inhibits LBD activity.[9]

Clinical significance

Role in disease

Mutations in NR4A2 have been associated with various disorders, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia,

manic depression, and autism. De novo gene deletions that affect NR4A2 have been identified in some individuals with intellectual disability and language impairment, some of whom meet DSM-5 criteria for an autism diagnosis.[10]

Inflammation

Research has been conducted on NR4A2’s role in

CoREST, a complex made of several proteins that assembles chromatin remodeling enzymes. The NR4A2/CoREST complex inhibits transcription of inflammatory genes.[11]

Applications

NR4A2 induces tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression, which eventually leads to differentiation into dopaminergic neurons. NR4A2 has been demonstrated to induce differentiation in CNS precursor cells in vitro but they require additional factors to reach full maturity and dopaminergic differentiation.[12] Therefore, NR4A2 modulation may be promising for generation of dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson's disease research, yet implantation of these induced cells as therapy treatments, has had limited results.

NR4A2

mRNA may be a useful biomarker for Parkinson's disease in combination with inflammatory cytokines.[13]

Knockout studies

Studies have shown that heterozygous knockout mice for the NR4A2 gene demonstrate reduced dopamine release. Initially this was compensated for by a decrease in the rate of dopamine reuptake; however, over time this reuptake could not make up for the reduced amount of dopamine being released. Coupled with the loss of dopamine receptor neurons, this can result in the onset of symptoms for Parkinson's disease.[14]

Interactions

NR4A2 has been shown to

interact
with:

References

  1. ^ a b c GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000153234Ensembl, May 2017
  2. ^ a b c GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000026826Ensembl, May 2017
  3. ^ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  4. ^ "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  5. S2CID 36075352
    .
  6. .
  7. ^ "Entrez Gene: NR4A2 nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 2".
  8. ^
    S2CID 16677797
    .
  9. .
  10. ^ Barge-Schaapveld, Leppa, Reuter. "Gene: NR4a2 -". SFARI GENE. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  11. PMID 19345186
    .
  12. .
  13. .
  14. .
  15. .
  16. .
  17. ^ .

Further reading