Pituitary activin receptor subtypes and follistatin gene expression in female rats: differential regulation by activin and follistatin

Endocrinology
Alan C DalkinJ C Marshall

Abstract

The activins, hormones produced in the gonads and extragonadal tissues (including the pituitary), rapidly increase FSH beta messenger RNA (mRNA) and FSH secretion. In the rat, activin acts via a family of activin receptor (ActR) subunits that includes at least one type I (ActRI or ALK-2) and two homologous type II (IIA and IIB) subunits. We have previously reported that ActRIIA mRNA rises after ovariectomy (OVX). Potentially, the OVX-induced increases in ActR mRNAs could result from altered activin or the activin-binding protein follistatin. It was the purpose of the current studies to determine whether activin and/or follistatin regulated activin receptor subunit mRNAs. Adult female rat pituitaries were dissociated and plated for 48 h, transferred to wells containing follistatin or activin for 2 or 24 h, then RNA extracted for measurement of ActRI, IIA, and IIB and follistatin mRNAs. All three ActR mRNAs were easily detectable in pituitary RNA, with the relative abundance of ActRI > IIA > IIB (18:9:1). Between 2-24 h, levels of all three ActR mRNAs increased 2- to 3-fold in wells containing medium alone, whereas levels of follistatin mRNA were unchanged. Follistatin significantly reduced FSH secretion and follistatin mRNA, but...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 25, 2008·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Amy L BlountLouise M Bilezikjian
Apr 25, 2000·Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology·I PezzaniF Petraglia
Nov 4, 1998·Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology·D J Phillips, D M de Kretser
Feb 28, 2003·Biology of Reproduction·Joëlle DupontCatherine Taragnat
Oct 17, 2003·Biology of Reproduction·Kathleen A PrendergastJohn C Marshall
Aug 19, 2000·Biochemistry and Cell Biology = Biochimie Et Biologie Cellulaire·C Peng, S T Mukai
Jun 24, 2010·Biomarkers : Biochemical Indicators of Exposure, Response, and Susceptibility to Chemicals·A Gajos-MichniewiczT Ochedalski
Jan 30, 2002·Experimental Biology and Medicine·Ye-Guang ChenShao-Yao Ying
Mar 3, 2001·Gynecological Endocrinology : the Official Journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology·F M ReisF Petraglia

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