Exploring the molecular basis of action of the passive antiglucocorticoid 21-hydroxy-6,19-epoxyprogesterone

J Med Chem. 2008 Mar 13;51(5):1352-60. doi: 10.1021/jm800007w. Epub 2008 Feb 20.

Abstract

21-Hydroxy-6,19-epoxyprogesterone (21OH-6,19OP) is a selective antiglucocorticoid that lacks the bulky substituent at C-11 found in active antagonists of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Ligand-free GR ligand-binding domain (LBD) and GR LBD complexed with 21OH-6,19OP or the agonist dexamethasone were simulated during 6 ns using molecular dynamics. Results suggest that the time fluctuation and average position adopted by the H1-H3 loop affect the ability of GR LBD-21OH-6,19OP complex to homodimerize, a necessary step in transcriptome assembly. A nuclear localization and a transactivation experiment showed that, although 21OH-6,19OP activates the translocation of the GR, the nuclear complex is unable to induce the transcription of a reporter driven by a promoter, that requires binding to a GR homodimer to be activated. These findings support the hypothesis that the passive antagonist mode of action of 21OH-6,19OP resides, at least in part, in the incapacity of the GR-21OH-6,19OP complex to dimerize.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dexamethasone / chemistry
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology
  • Dimerization
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Progesterone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Progesterone / chemistry
  • Progesterone / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Transport
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / chemistry
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Activation

Substances

  • 21-hydroxy-6,19-oxidoprogesterone
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • Progesterone
  • Dexamethasone