Abstract
Understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the large diversity of biological responses to thyroid hormones and the vitamin A derived hormones (retinoids) has been greatly advanced by the cloning of specific intracellular receptors for thyroid hormone (T3) and retinoic acid (RA) (Sap et al, 1986; Weinberger et al, 1986; Benbrook and Pfahl, 1987; Petkovich et al, 1987; Giguere et al, 1987; Benbrook et al, 1988; Brand et al, 1988; Thompson et al, 1987; Nakai et al, 1988; Giguere et al, 1990; Krust et al, 1989). In mammals, T3 receptors (TRs) are encoded by two genes, TRα and TRβ, while the retinoid receptors are encoded by at least six genes that fall into two subfamilies, the classical RA receptors (RARs) α, β, and γ, and the retinoid X receptors (RXRs) α, β, and γ (Hamada et al, 1989; Mangelsdorf et al 1990; 1992; Yu et al, 1991; Leid et al, 1992,). From the individual receptor genes, different isoforms can be generated by differential splicing and/or different promoter usage (Lehmann et al, 1991; Leroy et al, 1991; Zelent et al, 1991; Benbrook and Pfahl, 1987; Nakai et al, 1988). TRs, RARs, and RXRs belong to a subgroup of the nuclear receptor superfamily that have closely related DNA binding domains (reviewed in Umesono and Evans, 1989) and that are able to recognize and function from overlapping and related response elements. This subfamily of receptors includes also the vitamin D receptor (VDR), the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) (Issemann and Green, 1990; Dreyer et al, 1992), as well as the COUP and other orphan receptors for which specific ligands are not known.
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Pfahl, M. (1994). Molecular Mechanisms of Thyroid Hormone and Retinoic acid Action. In: Moudgil, V.K. (eds) Steroid Hormone Receptors: Basic and Clinical Aspects. Hormones in Health and Disease. Birkhäuser Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9849-7_7
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