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Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists
10:51

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The orphan nuclear receptors in cancer and diabetes

Harmit S Ranhotra1

  • 1Orphan Nuclear Receptors Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, St. Edmund's College, Shillong, India. harmitran@gmail.com

Journal of Receptor and Signal Transduction Research
|March 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Orphan nuclear receptors (ONRs) regulate gene expression and are crucial for metabolism and development. This review explores their role in modulating cancer and diabetes.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Orphan nuclear receptors (ONRs) are a class of nuclear receptors (NRs) lacking identified endogenous ligands.
  • ONRs play critical roles in diverse physiological processes including metabolism, immunity, and development.
  • Dysregulation of ONRs is implicated in various human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of the interplay between select ONRs and the patho-physiological conditions of cancer and diabetes.
  • To highlight the potential of ONRs as therapeutic targets for these diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on orphan nuclear receptors.
  • Analysis of research linking ONRs to cancer and diabetes pathogenesis.
  • Synthesis of current findings on ONR function in disease.

Main Results:

  • Several ONRs have been identified to modulate key pathways involved in cancer development and progression.
  • Specific ONRs play significant roles in regulating glucose metabolism and insulin signaling, relevant to diabetes.
  • The interplay between ONRs and these diseases is complex, involving intricate regulatory networks.

Conclusions:

  • Orphan nuclear receptors are critical regulators with significant implications in cancer and diabetes.
  • Targeting specific ONRs holds promise for novel therapeutic strategies for these prevalent diseases.
  • Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying ONR involvement in patho-physiology.

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