[Recent progress in the research field of nuclear receptors]

In the research field of nuclear receptors, the studies on the protein factors which interact with the steroid hormone receptors and regulate the transcriptional activity, and on the alpha and beta isoforms of glucocorticoid receptor have been in great progress. The include "intermediary Factors" such as RIP140, TIF-1, for the AF-2 which contribute to ligand-dependent transactivation function of the receptors. ARA70 which specifically interacts with androgen receptor was also cloned recently. Informations obtained from steroid hormone receptor knockout-mice experiments can also be available for the estrogen, glucocorticoid, and progesterone receptors. Furthermore, there have been more than sixty orphan receptors identified in these eight years, including HNF, Ad4BP, DAX-1, and nur77/NGFIB, some of which are mutation target genes of human congenital diseases.