Vitamin D Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin D, including details on sources, melanin, benefits, deficiency, supplements, calcium absorption.

Applications of the Vitamin D sterol-Vitamin D receptor (VDR) conformational ensemble model.

Mizwicki MT, Bishop JE, Norman AW

Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.

Over the past 20 years much has been learned about the cellular actions of the steroid hormone 1alpha,25(OH)2-Vitamin D3 (1,25D). Perhaps most importantly structure-function studies led to the discovery that different chemical and physical features of 1,25D are preferred to initiate either exonuclear, non-genomic or endonuclear, genomic cellular signaling. It is well documented that both a 1alpha-OH and 25-OH, and a 6-s-trans, bowl-shaped, sterol conformation are absolutely required for efficient gene transcription, while 6-s-cis locked analogs and 1-deoxy, 25(OH)D3 metabolites activate a variety of non-genomic, rapid responses. These results and the observation that S237 (helix-3; H3) and R274 (H5) are the most static residues in the human 1,25D-Vitamin D receptor (VDR) X-ray construct (see B-values in pdb: 1DB1) and form H-bonds with the 1alpha-OH of 1,25D in the X-ray, genomic pocket (G-pocket), provided the basis for the molecular modeling experiments that led to the discovery of a putative VDR alternative ligand binding pocket (A-pocket). The conformational ensemble model generated from the in silico results provides an explanation for how the VDR can function as a receptor propagating both genomic and non-genomic signaling events. In this report the theoretical gating properties controlling ligand access to the A- and G-pockets will be compared and the model will be used to provide a molecular explanation for the confusing structure-function results pertaining to 1,25D, its side-chain metabolite, 23S,25R-1alpha,25(OH)2-D3-26,23-lactone (BS), and its synthetic two side-chain analog, 21-(3'-hydroxy-3'-methylbutyl)-1alpha,25(OH)2-D3 (KH or Gemini). In addition, evidence that the model is consistent with the pH requirement for Vitamin D sterol-VDR crystallization will be presented.

Published 2 May 2005 in Steroids, 70(5): 464-71.
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