Constitutive Androstane Receptor-3 (CAR-3; NR1I3i3)
Product Family | Product Number | Product Description | Technical Manual |
IB0090 CAR-3 (NR1I3i3) |
IB00901-32 | Human CAR-3 Reporter Assay System, 3 x 32 assays in 96-well format | Technical Manual |
IB00901 | Human CAR-3 Reporter Assay System, 1 x 96-well format assays | Technical Manual | |
IB00302 | Human CAR-3 Reporter Assay System, 1 x 384-well format assays |
Also available in: Mouse
This Constitutive Androstane Receptor-3 (CAR-3) kit is an all-inclusive assay system that includes, in addition to CAR-3 Reporter Cells, two optimized media for use during cell culture and (optionally) in diluting the test samples, a reference agonist, Luciferase Detection Reagent, a cell culture-ready assay plate, and a detailed protocol.
CAR3 Reporter Cells are prepared using INDIGO’s proprietary CryoMite™ process. This cryo-preservation method yields exceptional cell viability post-thaw, and provides the convenience of immediately dispensing healthy, division-competent reporter cells into assay plates. There is no need for cumbersome intermediate treatment steps such as spin-and-rinse of cells, viability determinations, cell titer adjustments, or pre- incubation of reporter cells prior to assay setup.
INDIGO’s assay kits feature a luciferase detection reagent specially formulated to provide stable light emission between 5 and 90+ minutes after initiating the luciferase reaction. Incorporating a 5-minute reaction-rest period ensures that light emission profiles attain maximal stability, thereby allowing assay plates to be processed in batch. By doing so, the signal output from all sample wells, from one plate to the next, may be directly compared within an experimental set.
Kits are offered in different assay formats to accommodate researchers' needs: 3x 32 and 1x 96 assay formats for screening small numbers of test compounds, as well as custom bulk reagents for HTS applications.

Bulk assay reagents can be custom manufactured to accommodate any scale of HTS. Please inquire.
INDIGO’s Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor, isoform 3 (CAR3) Reporter Assay System utilizes proprietary mammalian cells engineered to provide high-level expression of human CAR3 (NR1I3 isoform 3), a ligand-activated transcription factor. The Reporter Cells utilize a modified version of human CAR3 in which the N-terminal DNA binding domain (DBD) has been replaced with the GAL4-DBD. The human CAR3 ligand binding domain (LBD) is unaltered and fully functional. Reporter cells also incorporate a luciferase cDNA functionally linked to the GAL4-upstream activation sequence (UAS). Thus, quantifying expressed luciferase activity provides a sensitive surrogate measure of changes in CAR3 activity resulting from a direct interaction between a treatment compound and the nuclear receptor. Because this assay system expresses a GAL4-DBD + hCAR3 LBD hybrid receptor, the bio-activity of activators that act through indirect mechanisms (such as those that alter the phosphorylation status of the native N-terminal amino acid sequence of CAR3) may be dampened or go undetected.
Human CAR 3 is not constitutively active, rather, it exhibits ligand-dependent activation. The primary application of this reporter assay system is in the screening of test samples to quantify any functional activity, either agonist or antagonist, that they may exert on human CAR3.
Unlike most nuclear receptors, this transcriptional regulator is constitutively active in the absence of ligand but is regulated by both agonists and inverse agonists. Ligand binding results in translocation of this protein to the nucleus, where it activates or represses target gene transcription. These ligands include bilirubin, a variety of foreign compounds, steroid hormones, and prescription drugs.
For more information on CAR, visit the Nuclear Receptor Resource.
Service Assays: Human, Rat, Mouse
The primary application of INDIGO’s cell-based nuclear receptor assays are to quantitatively assess the bioactivity of a test compound as an agonist (activator) or antagonist (inhibition of an agonist response) of a given receptor. Service assays include a positive control reference compound and ‘vehicle’ control for every experiment. A formal study report and all data files are provided to the client upon completion of the study. To receive a quote for your proposed study, complete & submit the online “Request a Quote” form or contact an INDIGO Customer Service Representative to discuss your desired study parameters.
Correlation Between Cytochrome P450 Inducers and Nuclear Receptor Activation – a Screening Approach
View Full Size Research conducted by: Shantanu Roychowdhury (1); Casidy M. Ward (1); Kevin J. Kennedy (1); & Yong Zhao (1) (1) Eurofins Discovery, 6 Research Park Drive, St. Charles, MO 63304 Date of Publication: 2019 Presented at: ISSX 2019 in Portland, OR
Sedaxane—Use of Nuclear Receptor Transactivation Assays, Toxicogenomics, and Toxicokinetics as Part of a Mode of Action Framework for Rodent Liver Tumors
ABSTRACT Experimental data demonstrate a mode of action (MOA) for liver tumors in male rats and mice treated with sedaxane that starts with activation of CAR, followed by altered expression of CAR-responsive genes, increased cell proliferation, and eventually clonal expansion of preneoplastic cells, leading to the development of altered foci and tumors. This MOA isRead More
Profiling Drug Activity of Human and Ortholog Xenobiotic-Sensing Receptors: PXR, CAR, AhR, and FXR
View Full Size Research conducted by: Koji Toyokawa (1), Ewa Maddox (1), Jack Vanden Huevel (1,2), & Bruce Sherf (1) (1) INDIGO Biosciences, Inc., 1981 Pine Hall Rd, State College, PA, USA (2) Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, 325 Life Sciences Building, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA Date of Publication: 2017
Differential modulation of FXR activity by chlorophacinone and ivermectin analogs
ABSTRACT Chemicals that alter normal function of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) have been shown to affect the homeostasis of bile acids, glucose, and lipids. Several structural classes of environmental chemicals and drugs that modulated FXR transactivation were previously identified by quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) of the Tox21 10 K chemical collection. In the present study, weRead More
Mouse Liver Tumor Mode of Action: Use of Toxicogenomics in Weight of Evidence for Human Relevance Assessment
ABSTRACT The Use of Toxicogenomics in Chemical Safety Testing Current safety testing is geared to produce and accept descriptive data from high-dose animal studies Interpretation of this information has effectively protected our health and safety for decates; however, hindered by lack of understanding mechanistic information Concern over chemical safety for humans and the environment hasRead More
Effects of Munitions Compounds on Xenobiotic-Activated Nuclear Receptors and Signaling Pathways
ABSTRACT Exposure to certain munitions compounds is know to alter physiological functions in test organisms, however little is known about their molecular and cellular effects. Several nuclear receptors are regulated by xenobiotic compounds. These nuclear receptors belong to a class of ligand-activated transcription factors that, when heterodimerized with RXRa and bound to their respective DNARead More
Indigo Announces In Vitro Toxicology Platform
In vitro toxicology platform provides predictive model of liver toxicity. Aims to reduce the high rates of drug-induced liver damage State College, PA (May 4, 2016) INDIGO Biosciences, the recognized industry leader in nuclear receptor research, has completed development of an in vitro toxicology platform, meeting the demand for predictive liver toxicity models. INDIGO’s inRead More
Oxysterols are agonist ligands of RORγt and drive Th17 cell differentiation
ABSTRACT The RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) is a nuclear receptor required for generating IL-17–producing CD4+ Th17 T cells, which are essential in host defense and may play key pathogenic roles in autoimmune diseases. Oxysterols elicit profound effects on immune and inflammatory responses as well as on cholesterol and lipid metabolism. Here, we describe the identification of several naturally occurringRead More
Evidence for triclosan-induced activation of human and rodent xenobiotic nuclear receptors
ABSTRACT The bacteriostat triclosan (2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenylether) (TCS) decreases rat serum thyroxine via putative nuclear receptor (NR) interaction(s) and subsequent transcriptional up-regulation of hepatic catabolism and clearance. However, due to the evolutionary divergence of the constitutive androstane and pregnane-X receptors (CAR, PXR), TCS-mediated downstream effects may be species-dependent. To test the hypothesis that TCS activates xenobiotic NRsRead More