I would appreciate if someone could help me to solve a rather tricky riddle.
When not bound to steroids, steroid receptors (SRs) form complexes with heat
shock proteins (HSPs) in the cytoplasm. Upon activation with steroids, the
receptors change conformation, lose the coat of HSPs and penetrate the
nucleus to activate transcription of target genes.
Does anybody know or could come up with an idea how to dissociate SRs from
HSPs by some physical or chemical stimulation?
The reason I am asking is the following. I am trying to develop compounds
(small molecules, including peptides) that would bind SRs in inactive form.
I am a priori concerned that due to sterical hindrances those compounds will
not be able to bind inactive SRs associated with HSPs, so I am trying to
examine if there is anything known about the ways to dissociation these
complexes in vivo. I tried to search literature on the subject, but did not
dig out anything useful so far.
Thanks for your ideas.
Emir
