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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Pituitary lactotroph cell function and PRL gene expression are highly regulated by the cAMP-protein kinase-A (PKA) pathway. To further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which cAMP/PKA regulates rat (r) PRL promoter activity and to determine whether cAMP regulation is cell type specific, we 1) transected intact (-425), internal and 5'-deletion, and site-specific mutants of the rPRL promoter ligated to the firefly luciferase reporter gene into both pituitary and nonpituitary cell lines; and 2) assessed the role of the cAMP-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway in GH4 rat pituitary cells. The data show that deleting the rPRL promoter from -425 to -116 did not abolish cAMP regulation, implying that proximal elements, such as the basal transcription element (-112/-80) or the pituitary-specific footprint (FP) I (-67/-45), mediate the cAMP response. However, nucleotide changes within FP I or FP II (-130/-120) did not alter the rPRL promoter response to 1 microM forskolin (FSK), despite the 77% and 26% reductions in basal rPRL promoter activity caused by these mutations, respectively. Furthermore, internal deletion of either the basal transcription element of FP I element also failed to affect cAMP regulation of the rPRL promoter, again despite the 90% and 93% reductions in basal promoter activity by these deletions, respectively. Since these internal deletion constructs otherwise contain rPRL promoter sequences from -425 to +73, including the up-stream pituitary-specific FPs III and IV, the data suggest that any one of these cell-specific elements is capable of imparting cAMP regulation to the proximal rPRL promoter. To directly test the implication that the cAMP response of the rPRL promoter is restricted to the pituitary-specific cell type, we took advantage of a 5'-deletion mutant truncated at position -116 and a FP II site-specific mutant, since constructs containing these rPRL promoters are active in nonpituitary cells. Despite the 6.6- and 18.5-fold stimulations over wild-type rPRL promoter activity in nonpituitary cells, respectively, these mutations remained completely unresponsive to FSK treatment. To document that the cAMP-CREB pathway was functional in GC/GH4 rat pituitary cells, CREB was affinity purified from GC rat pituitary cells, and DNase-I protection studies showed that it does not bind to the proximal rPRL promoter. Also, the human glycoprotein alpha-subunit promoter was induced 10-fold by FSK in GH4 rat pituitary cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Dec
PMID:Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate activation of the rat prolactin promoter is restricted to the pituitary-specific cell type. 133 42

This article describes a new approach for determining the role of endogenous guanine nucleotide binding (G) protein subunits in signal transduction. Sequential patch-clamping was applied to BSA gradient-enriched cultured lactotropes from lactating rats, first to dialyze antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (AS) directed against G alpha protein mRNAs and 48 h later to record ion-current responses to the PRL release inhibitor, dopamine. The effectiveness and specificity of action of six types of AS were determined by their effects on the in vitro translation of alpha o, alpha i1, alpha i2, alpha i3, and alpha s. The specificity of AS could be enhanced by replacing guanine by cytosine bases within the center core of AS and by maximizing the number of mismatches against nontargeted mRNAs within the extremities of AS. A total of 59 out of 240 cells could be investigated using the sequential patch clamp procedure in the absence of antibiotics. The typical decrease of the voltage-activated calcium current in response to 10 nM dopamine was diminished or abolished by AS, in correlation with the inhibition of in vitro translation of the alpha o subunit. The typical increase of the voltage-activated potassium current in response to dopamine was abolished by AS directed against alpha i3 but not alpha o mRNA. Control experiments showed that culture conditions or loss of receptor affinity for dopamine were not responsible for the loss of response. The results suggest that dopamine D2 receptors are linked via alpha o to calcium channels and via alpha i3 to potassium channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Dec
PMID:Dialysis of lactotropes with antisense oligonucleotides assigns guanine nucleotide binding protein subtypes to their channel effectors. 133 49

In mammals, the pituitary POU homeodomain protein, Pit-1, binds to proximal and distal 5'-flanking sequences of the PRL gene that dictate tissue-specific expression. These DNA sequences are highly conserved among mammals but are dramatically different from PRL 5' sequences in the teleost species, Oncorhynchus tschawytscha (chinook salmon). To analyze the molecular basis for pituitary-specific gene expression in a distantly related vertebrate, we transfected CAT reporter gene constructs containing 2.4 kilobases (kb) 5'-flanking sequence from the salmon PRL (sPRL) gene into various cell types. Expression of the sPRL gene was restricted to pituitary cells, but in rat pituitary GH4 cells levels of expression were at least 90-fold lower than those obtained with a -3 kb rat PRL (rPRL) construct. Conversely, in primary teleost pituitary cells, -2.4 kb sPRL/CAT was expressed at levels about 10-fold higher than -3 kb rPRL/CAT. To determine whether species-specific transactivation by Pit-1 was sufficient to explain these species differences in PRL gene expression, we isolated a cDNA clone encoding the salmon Pit-1 POU domain and constructed a rat Pit-1 expression vector that contained salmon Pit-1 POU domain sequences substituted in frame. The chimeric Pit-1 encoded 14 amino acids unique to salmon. Coexpression of rat Pit-1 with salmon or rat PRL/CAT in transfected HeLa cells resulted in specific and strikingly comparable levels of promoter activation. Moreover, the specificity and efficacy of the chimeric salmon/rat Pit-1 was similar to wild type rat Pit-1 in activating salmon and rat PRL/CAT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Apr
PMID:Phylogenetic specificity of prolactin gene expression with conservation of Pit-1 function. 135 55

In this study we investigated the involvement of several different pituitary hormones on rat prostate development. 22-day-old Wistar rats, hypophysectomized (hypox) at 19 days of age were supplemented with highly purified human prolactin (hPRL), human luteinizing hormone (hLH), porcine follicle-stimulating hormone (pFSH), and bovine growth hormone (bGH) or with saline. Quantitative analysis of RNAs shows that treatment with either PRL or GH increases significantly steady-state mRNAs levels of the following genes in the prostate: androgen receptor (AR) (respectively 3.5- and 4.8-fold above hypox controls), IGF-I (5- and 2.7-fold), and IGF-I receptor (2.9- and 2.3-fold). LH and FSH, by contrast, have negative effects on these parameters. To test whether the enhancing effect of PRL and GH on AR-mRNA abundance was followed by increased content in the protein itself, binding assays were performed with the androgen agonist [3H]R1881 (131 and 153 fmol/mg protein while hypox controls contained 110 fmol/mg protein). In addition to the well-documented presence of prolactin receptors in prostatic tissues, we have further demonstrated, by means of nuclease S1 protection assays plus dot- and Northern-blot analyses, that a GH receptor mRNA is produced in the immature rat prostate. Moreover, we observed not only strong lactogenic but also purely somatogenic binding to be occurring in the immature prostates. Finally, we have studied IGF-I mRNA content in separated epithelial/stromal cell fractions and have concluded that IGF-I expression is principally located in the prostatic stroma. Taken together, these results suggest that PRL and GH are involved in regulating AR synthesis, at least partially by direct action on the organ. In this context IGF-I appears as a paracrine factor playing a role in epithelium/stroma interactions during prostatic development.
Mol Cell Endocrinol 1992 Oct
PMID:Growth hormone and prolactin stimulate androgen receptor, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-I receptor levels in the prostate of immature rats. 136 Sep 28

The nature of a DNA element located in the -100 to -85 region of the rat PRL gene has been characterized. Previous studies demonstrated that this region may contribute to basal and hormonally regulated expression of the PRL gene. As this region contains a sequence with similarity to a consensus cAMP-responsive element (CRE), a possible role for the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) has been explored. A point mutation which made the PRL CRE-like sequence less like a consensus CRE had little effect on basal or cAMP-stimulated expression of a PRL-luciferase reporter gene. DNase footprint studies demonstrated that the proximal region of the PRL gene does not contain a high affinity CREB binding site. Mobility shift experiments demonstrated that the major GH3 nuclear protein which interacts with the -100 to -85 region of the PRL gene in vitro is not CREB. Transfection of a dominant inhibitor of CREB action had little or no effect on expression of an indicator gene containing the PRL proximal region. Thus, the PRL proximal region does not contain a high affinity CREB binding site, and it is unlikely that CREB plays a major role in expression of the PRL gene. The functional capabilities of the -100 to -85 region of the PRL gene were then tested in a transfection assay. Synthetic multimers of this region were found to be sufficient to permit a transcriptional response to cAMP or TRH in GH3 cells and cAMP in Rat-1 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Jun
PMID:Characterization of a non-tissue-specific, 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-responsive element in the proximal region of the rat prolactin gene. 138 49

We have recently cloned a cDNA encoding a mutant form of PRL receptor (PRL-R) from Nb2 cells, a PRL-dependent T lymphocyte-derived cell line. This cDNA is identical to the long form of the rat PRL-R, except for a deletion of 594 base pairs in the cytoplasmic domain, resulting in a mature receptor protein of 393 amino acids. Although a segment containing three cytoplasmic regions of moderate to high amino acid sequence identity with members of the PRL/GH receptor family is missing in this receptor form, the region of highest (70%) identity is retained. In the following studies, a homologous functional assay was developed to test the activity of three forms of receptor with respect to their ability to transmit a lactogenic signal. In this system, CHO cells were transiently transfected with a construct containing 2300 base pairs of the 5'-flanking sequence of the rat beta-casein gene fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and an expression vector containing the various forms of rat PRL-R cDNA. The transfected cells were grown in serum-free medium in the absence or presence of PRL. In cells transfected with the long form of the PRL-R and beta-casein/CAT construct, a 7.2- +/- 0.9-fold induction (n = 3) of CAT activity was seen when cells were cultured in the presence of 400 ng/ml PRL and 1 micrograms/ml hydrocortisone. This level of stimulation was similar to that observed for the ovine beta-lactoglobulin/CAT construct in which a 5.7- +/- 1.2-fold (n = 3) effect was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Aug
PMID:The Nb2 form of prolactin receptor is able to activate a milk protein gene promoter. 140 2

Previous observations that extracellular calcium (Ca2+) enhanced PRL mRNA levels posttranscriptionally in GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells were made using double-stranded transcription probes. The effects of Ca2+ and the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, on PRL gene expression in GH3 and 235-1 cells were investigated using site- and strand-specific probes. Treatment of GH3 and 235-1 cells with 0.5 mM Ca2+ in serum-free medium specifically increased PRL mRNA levels by severalfold. In 235-1 but not GH3 cells PRL gene transcription was comparably induced by Ca2+. Use of single-stranded 5' and 3' probes revealed no antisense transcription, nor any Ca2+ effect on transcriptional elongation. Treatment with Ca2+ plus ionomycin inhibited PRL mRNA levels and gene transcription in both cell lines. Although their PRL gene transcription rates are similar, several basic differences were noted between the cell lines. The 235-1 cells exhibit a different profile of nuclear PRL pre-RNAs than GH3 cells. Also, mRNA levels for a Ca(2+)-regulated gene (GRP78) did not change in Ca(2+)-treated GH3 cells but decreased in Ca(2+)-treated 235-1 cells. Ionomycin treatment increased GRP78 mRNA levels in both cell lines. Thus, addition of extracellular Ca2+ appears to affect [Ca2+]i in 235-1 but not GH3 cells, while ionomycin affects [Ca2+]i in both cell lines. These data suggest that changing [Ca2+]i modulates PRL gene transcription. The comparative data suggest that posttranscriptional PRL regulation is Ca(2+)-regulated in GH3 cells, but is constitutive in 235-1 cells.
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Aug
PMID:Effects of calcium and calcium ionophores on prolactin gene expression in GH3 and 235-1 rat pituitary tumor cells. 140 4

Rat pituitary acidophils consist of somatotropes (GH+/PRL-), lactotropes (GH-/PRL+), and lactosomatotropes (GH+/PRL+). Studies have indicated interconversion of these cell types in response to changing hormonal status. Representative tumor cell lines have been obtained for each acidophil cell type, and some display spontaneous interconversions. We examined whether the switch from GH3 cells (GH+/PRL+) to GH3LP and GC cells (both GH+/PRL-) involves repression of PRL gene expression at a transcriptional vs. posttranscriptional level. PRL mRNA is undetectable or barely detectable in GH3LP and GC cells. In contrast, nuclear extracts from these cells transcribe the PRL promoter in vitro, and their Pit-1 mRNA levels are comparable to those in GH3 cells. Nuclear run-on transcription assays demonstrated that the PRL gene is transcribed in GH3LP and GC cells at a rate of about 60% of that observed in GH3 cells. No evidence was obtained for a block to transcriptional elongation or for transcription in the antisense direction across the PRL gene. Northern blot analysis of nuclear RNA revealed partially degraded and undetectable PRL gene transcripts in GH3LP cells and GC cells, respectively. These findings indicate that PRL gene transcripts are specifically degraded in tumor cells which display a pure somatotrope phenotype and raise the possibility that the trans-differentiation of lactosomatotropes to somatotropes involves posttranscriptional regulation of PRL gene expression.
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Aug
PMID:Posttranscriptional regulation of prolactin (PRL) gene expression in PRL-deficient pituitary tumor cells. 140 5

We have generated 10 alanine mutants of human PRL (hPRL), a member of the PRL/GH family, to investigate the involvement of the highly conserved 58-74 region in the biological behavior of the protein. When treated with polyclonal anti-hPRL antibodies, all mutants were immunologically indistinguishable from the unmodified hPRL, and circular dichroism analyses indicated that their alpha-helix content was similar to that of the unmodified hormone. Mutations C58A, K69A, and, to a lesser extent, P66A affected drastically the ability of hPRL first to bind to the lactogenic receptor and second to stimulate the proliferation of Nb2 lymphoma cells, proving the importance of the 58-74 peptide segment for hPRL bioactivity. Binding affinities of these mutants to the Nb2 lactogenic receptor have been compared to lactogenic binding data previously obtained for several mutants of hGH. The comparison reveals that the residues involved in the biological properties of the two proteins are not at topologically equivalent positions. Hence, we suggest that the binding of these hormones to the lactogenic receptors occurs through a different molecular mechanism having distinct requirements at the residue level.
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Sep
PMID:Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of human prolactin: importance of the 58-74 region for bioactivity. 143 87

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is known to inhibit cell growth and proliferation of many estrogen-responsive normal and transformed cells. The effect of this polypeptide growth factor on the estrogen-responsive pituitary lactotropes has not been determined. To evaluate the role of TGF-beta 1 in the control of lactotropic growth, the action and production of TGF-beta 1 in the anterior pituitary was studied in rats. The growth factor suppressed basal PRL release from the primary culture of enriched rat lactotropes in a concentration-dependent manner in the range of 2 pg/ml-20 ng/ml. The growth factor did not affect the secretion of other pituitary hormones in the cultures. The inhibitory action of TGF-beta 1 on PRL release was time dependent. The minimum time required to produce a significant effect was 4 h. The growth factor also suppressed estradiol-induced PRL release as well as it inhibited estradiol-induced proliferation of lactotropes. TGF-beta 1 immunoreactivity was detected in the cellular extracts of cultured anterior pituitary cells and in the extracts of anterior pituitary tissue. In addition, the primary culture of enriched rat lactotropes secreted TGF-beta 1. Using Northern blot techniques, a 2.4-kilobase transcript of pro-TGF-beta 1 mRNA was detected both in the anterior pituitary tissue and in the primary culture of anterior pituitary cells. These data suggest that TGF-beta 1 is produced in the pituitary gland and inhibits the secretion of PRL and growth of lactotropes in an autocrine and/or paracrine fashion.
Mol Endocrinol 1992 Nov
PMID:Transforming growth factor-beta 1 messenger RNA and protein expression in the pituitary gland: its action on prolactin secretion and lactotropic growth. 148 Jan 72


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