Beyond steroidogenesis: Novel target genes for SF-1 discovered by genomics

► SF-1 has long been known to regulate steroidogenic gene expression. ► Novel target genes for SF-1 have recently been identified by genomic methods. ► Many of those novel target genes do not have a direct role in steroidogenesis. ► Those findings shed new light on the role of SF-1 in adrenal development and tumorigenesis. Steroidogenic Factor-1 (SF-1) is a nuclear receptor transcription factor that has an essential role in the development of adrenal glands and gonads and in the regulation of steroidogenic gene expression. Recent studies using genomic approaches have revealed that SF-1 also has an important role in regulating proliferation of adrenocortical cells and have revealed its role in the control of a variety of biological processes as diverse as angiogenesis, adhesion to the extracellular matrix, cytoskeleton dynamics, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and apoptosis in the adrenal cortex. The identification of the complete set of SF-1 target genes will be of great importance to open new avenues for therapeutic intervention in adrenal diseases.