Developmental maturation of pineal gland function: synchronized CREM inducibility and adrenergic stimulation

Molecular Endocrinology
J H StehlePaolo Sassone-Corsi

Abstract

The cAMP response element modulator (CREM) gene encodes multiple activators and repressors of cAMP-responsive transcription. Differential splicing generates a developmental switch in CREM function during spermatogenesis, while the use of an alternative promoter is responsible for the production of a cAMP-inducible transcriptional repressor, ICER (inducible cAMP early repressor). The ICER promoter is strongly inducible by cAMP because of the presence of four tandemly repeated cAMP response elements. Furthermore, ICER negatively autoregulates the ICER promoter activity, thus generating a feedback loop. CREM constitutes an early response gene of the cAMP pathway in several neuroendocrine cells. We have previously shown that CREM is highly expressed in the adult rat pineal gland at nighttime. Here, we show that the only additional site of rhythmic ICER expression within the photoneuroendocrine system is the lamina intercalaris. Ontogenetically, the ICER day-night switch and cAMP inducibility mature in the pineal gland at the end of the first postnatal week. Importantly, this correlates with the onset of melatonin synthesis and the establishment of functional adrenergic innervation. At this developmental phase we document a signific...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 26, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·N S FoulkesP Sassone-Corsi
Aug 18, 1999·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·S MessagerP J Morgan
Jan 11, 2013·Physiological Reviews·Kristin Eckel-Mahan, Paolo Sassone-Corsi
Sep 28, 1998·Brain Research. Developmental Brain Research·C RibelaygaV Simonneaux
Mar 22, 2007·Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism : TEM·Erik Maronde, Jörg H Stehle

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