L7 protein is a coregulator of vitamin D receptor-retinoid X receptor-mediated transactivation

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) heterodimerizes with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) and requires additional protein-protein interactions to regulate the expression of target genes. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we identified the previously described protein L7, that specifically interacted with the VDR in the presence of vitamin D. Deletion analysis indicated, that the N-terminus of L7, which harbours a basic region leucine zipper like domain, mediated interaction with the VDR. Binding assays with purified GST-L7 demonstrated, that L7 specifically pulled down the VDR, that was either expressed in yeast or endogenously contained in the cell line U937. Interestingly, L7 inhibited ligand-dependent VDR-RXR heterodimerization, when constitutively expressed in yeast. We also demonstrate that L7 repressed binding of VDR-RXR heterodimers to a vitamin D response element. Surprisingly, L7 recruited RXR to the same response element in the presence of 9-cis retinoic acid. Ligand-dependent protein-protein interaction in the yeast two-hybrid system confirmed, that binding of L7 also was targeted at the RXR. Our data suggest, that protein L7 is a coregulator of VDR-RXR mediated transactivation of genes, that modulates transcriptional activity by interfering with binding of the receptors to genomic enhancer elements.