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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists
Published on: November 15, 2013
Animal models of xenobiotic receptors
1Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Abstract:
Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) form heterodimers with pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), two prototypical xenobiotic receptors, and mediate metabolism of xenobiotics (foreign compounds) and endobiotics (endogenous compounds). Establishment of gene knockout and transgenic mouse models of RXRs, PXR, and CAR greatly enhanced the study of the biology of nuclear receptors, leading to considerable research progress in understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the nuclear receptor-mediated pathways in xenobiotic and endobiotic metabolism. These animal models are widely used in screening nuclear receptor ligands, identifying nuclear receptor target genes, and defining physiological and pharmacological pathways mediated by these xenobiotic nuclear receptors. In addition, "humanized" PXR and CAR mouse models, which avoid species specificity, provide valuable tools for investigating human xenobiotic response. Moreover, generations of multiple gene knockout mouse models further allow us to identify unique and redundant pathways mediated by each xenosensor. In this article, we review the progress made by using animal models of RXRs, PXR, and CAR in understanding the biological functions of these nuclear receptors in physiology, pharmacology, and pathology.
Insights
Animal models of Retinoid X receptors (RXRs), pregnane X receptor (PXR), and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) have advanced understanding of xenobiotic and endobiotic metabolism. These models are crucial for drug screening and defining nuclear receptor pathways in health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) heterodimerize with xenobiotic receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR).
- These nuclear receptors mediate the metabolism of xenobiotics and endobiotics.
- Understanding their function is vital for drug development and toxicology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the progress in understanding nuclear receptor biology using animal models.
- To highlight the utility of gene knockout and transgenic models for RXRs, PXR, and CAR.
- To discuss the application of humanized and multiple gene knockout models.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing gene knockout and transgenic mouse models for RXRs, PXR, and CAR.
- Employing humanized mouse models to overcome species specificity.
- Generating multiple gene knockout models to dissect pathway redundancy.
Main Results:
- Significant research progress in elucidating molecular mechanisms of nuclear receptor-mediated metabolism.
- Animal models facilitate screening of nuclear receptor ligands and identification of target genes.
- Humanized models provide valuable insights into human xenobiotic responses.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are indispensable tools for studying the physiological, pharmacological, and pathological roles of RXRs, PXR, and CAR.
- These models have significantly advanced the field of nuclear receptor research.
- Future research can leverage these models to further define complex metabolic pathways.
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