Steroid receptor coactivator-1: integrating steroid hormone signals to regulate brain function and disease

Steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1), also known as nuclear receptor coactivator-1 (NCOA1), represents the first identified member of the p160 nuclear receptor coactivator family and plays a pivotal role in integrating steroid hormone signals, regulating gene transcription, and maintaining neural homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). SRC-1 exhibits region-specific, cell-type-specific, and sexually dimorphic expression patterns in the brain, with prominent distribution in key regions including the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, and amygdala. Functional studies demonstrate that SRC-1 participates in diverse neural functions such as learning and memory, energy metabolism, emotional regulation, and reproductive behavior through modulation of synaptic plasticity-related genes, neurotrophic factors, and metabolic pathways. Aberrant SRC-1 expression is closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases, autism spectrum disorders, and glioblastoma. This review systematically summarizes the molecular structure, expression characteristics, physiological functions of SRC-1, and its roles in neurological disorders, while discussing its potential applications as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target.