Two separate NCoR (nuclear receptor corepressor) interaction domains mediate corepressor action on thyroid hormone response elements

The nuclear corepressor (NCoR) binds to the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) in the absence of ligand. NCoR-TR interactions are mediated by two interaction domains in the C-terminal portion of NCoR. Binding of NCoR to TR results in ligand-independent repression on positive thyroid hormone response elements. The interactions between NCoR interaction domains and TR on DNA response elements, however, have not been well characterized. We have found that both interaction domains are capable of binding TR on thyroid hormone response elements. In addition, the NCoR interaction domains interact much more strongly with the TR than those present in the silencing mediator of retinoic acid and TRs (SMRT). Furthermore, deletion of either NCoR interaction domain does not significantly impair ligand-independent effects on positive or negative thyroid hormone response elements. Finally, both NCoR interaction domains appear to preferentially bind TR homodimer over TR-retinoid X receptor heterodimer in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. These data suggest that either NCoR interaction domain is capable of mediating the ligand-independent effects of TR on positive and negative thyroid hormone response elements.