Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists
Published on: November 15, 2013
Sex differences feed into nuclear receptor signaling along the digestive tract
Angela E Dean1, François Reichardt2, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk3
1Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America.
Abstract:
Sex differences in physiology are noted in clinical and animal studies. However, mechanisms underlying these observed differences between males and females remain elusive. Nuclear receptors control a wide range of physiological pathways and are expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, including the mouth, stomach, liver and intestine. We investigated the literature pertaining to ER, AR, FXR, and PPAR regulation and highlight the sex differences in nutrient metabolism along the digestive system. We chose these nuclear receptors based on their metabolic functions, and hormonal actions. Intriguingly, we noted an overlap in target genes of ER and FXR that modulate mucosal integrity and GLP-1 secretion, whereas overlap in target genes of PPARα with ER and AR modulate lipid metabolism. Sex differences were seen not only in the basal expression of nuclear receptors, but also in activation as their endogenous ligand concentrations fluctuate depending on nutrient availability. Finally, in this review, we speculate that interactions between the nuclear receptors may influence overall metabolic decisions in the gastrointestinal tract in a sex-specific manner.
Related Concept Videos
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:
Signal Transduction: Overview
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Internal Receptors
Types of Receptors: Internal Receptors
Similar to membrane-bound receptors, the binding of a ligand to the intracellular receptor of causes a conformational change in the...
Regulation of the Digestive System
The effectors in this regulation system are glands and smooth muscles. Activation of...
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting

