Differentially Regulating Apoptosis by AR: Activating Bax or Inhibiting JNK MAPK

描述（由申请人提供）：雄激素受体（AR）是类固醇激素受体超家族的成员。在与其配体雄激素结合后，AR作为转录因子起作用以诱导许多基因的表达，从而调节许多生理或病理活动，从细胞增殖、肿瘤发生到神经退行性疾病。然而，AR的配体非依赖性功能是未知的，AR在程序性细胞死亡中的作用也不完全清楚。最近，我们发现AR可以通过其非转录活性促进Bcl-2家族蛋白Bax的UV诱导的促死亡活性，但通过其转录活性抑制肿瘤坏死因子（TNF 1）诱导的MAP激酶JNK的促死亡活性。我们假设AR在程序性细胞死亡中具有双重调节作用：以死亡刺激依赖的方式促进或抑制凋亡。在这个提议中，我们将首先确定AR通过其非转录活性促进β-依赖性细胞死亡的机制。为此，我们将定义足以促进Bax促死亡活性的AR促死亡结构域，并确定AR是否调节Bax与其他Bcl-2家族成员之间的相互作用，从而促进Bax活化。最后，我们将研究特定的AR依赖性Bax相关蛋白是否参与AR介导的细胞死亡，并确定AR促进Bax活性是否使动物模型中的细胞死亡敏感。接下来，我们将确定AR通过其转录活性抑制TNF 1诱导的JNK依赖性细胞死亡的机制。为此，我们将确定雄激素/AR如何通过诱导p21抑制TNF 1诱导的JNK激活，以及雄激素/AR是否抑制JNK活性在动物模型中发生。我们将确定雄激素/AR是否除了抑制JNK外，还通过抑制死亡机制中的其他成分来抑制TNF 1诱导的细胞死亡。最后，我们将确定如何通过AR整合JNK和Bax的差异调节来抑制TNF 1诱导的细胞死亡。我们的长期目标是揭示AR的配体非依赖性功能及其对程序性细胞死亡的差异调节的分子机制，从而为开发治疗与AR功能失调相关的人类疾病的新策略提供分子基础。项目叙述：雄激素受体参与许多生理或病理活动，从细胞增殖、肿瘤发生到神经退行性疾病。在这个提议中，我们将研究AR的非转录功能及其在细胞死亡中的双重调节作用的分子机制，以响应不同的死亡刺激。这项研究将为开发预防和治疗人类疾病的新策略提供宝贵的信息，如前列腺癌和脊髓和延髓肌萎缩症。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The androgen receptor (AR) is member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily. Upon binding to its ligand androgen, AR functions as a transcription factor to induce expression of numerous genes, thereby regulating many physiological or pathological activities, from cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, to neurodegenerative disorders. However, the ligand-independent function of AR was unknown and the role of AR in programmed cell death is also incompletely understood. Recently, we uncovered that AR can promote UV-induced pro-death activity of the Bcl-2 family protein Bax through its non-transcription activity, but inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF1)-induced pro-death activity of the MAP kinase JNK through its transcription activity. We hypothesize that AR has dual regulatory role in programmed cell death: promoting or inhibiting apoptosis in a death stimulus-dependent manner. In this proposal, we will first determine the mechanism by which AR promotes Bax-dependent cell death through its non-transcription activity. To this end, we will define the AR pro-death domain(s) that is sufficient to promote Bax pro-death activity and determine whether AR regulates the interaction between Bax and other Bcl-2 family members, thereby promoting Bax activation. Finally, we will study whether specific AR-dependent Bax-associated proteins are involved in AR-mediated cell death, and determine whether the promotion of Bax activity by AR sensitizes cell death in animal model. Next, we will determine the mechanism by which AR inhibits TNF1-induced, JNK-dependent cell death through its transcription activity. To this end, we will determine how androgen/AR via induction of p21 inhibits TNF1-induced JNK activation and whether inhibition of JNK activity by androgen/AR occurs in animal model. We will determine whether in addition to inhibition of JNK, androgen/AR suppresses TNF1-induced cell death through inhibition of other component(s) in the death machinery. Finally, we will determine how differential regulation of JNK and Bax by AR is integrated for suppressing TNF1- induced cell death. Our long-term goal is to uncover the molecular mechanism underlying the ligand-independent function of AR and its differential regulation of programmed cell death, thereby providing molecular basis for developing novel strategies to treat human diseases related to dysregulation of AR function. PROJECT NARRATIVE: The androgen receptor involves many physiological or pathological activities, from cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, to neurodegenerative diseases. In this proposal, we will study molecular mechanisms underlying the non-transcription function of AR and its dual regulatory roles in cell death in response to different death stimuli. This study should provide invaluable information for developing novel strategies for prevention and treatment of human diseases, such as prostate cancer and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.