[Transcriptional control by nuclear steroid hormone receptors and endocrine disruptants]

Endocrine disruptant is supposed to act as a ligand to modulate function of nuclear steroid hormone receptors. The nuclear receptors form a superfamily compromising nearly hundred members in human including steroid/thyroid hormones, vitamin A and D, other fat-soluble compounds nuclear receptors, and a subfamily of orphan receptors. The nuclear receptors act as ligand-inducible transcription factors in concert with co-activators in nuclear complexes. In this review, the functions of nuclear receptors are described in terms of transcriptional controls and co-activator complexes.