scholarly journals Estrogen Enhances Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Stimulated Transcription of the Luteinizing Hormone Subunit Promoters via Altered Expression of Stimulatory and Suppressive Transcription Factors

Endocrinology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 148 (12) ◽  
pp. 6083-6091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takanori Kowase ◽  
Heidi E. Walsh ◽  
Douglas S. Darling ◽  
Margaret A. Shupnik

Transcription of the LH subunit genes is stimulated by GnRH and may be modulated physiologically by steroids such as 17β-estradiol (E). We found that E treatment amplified GnRH stimulation of the rat LHβ and α-subunit promoters, and expression of the endogenous mRNA, in LβT2 gonadotrope cells 2- to 5-fold above GnRH alone. We examined gene expression in LβT2 cells after E and/or GnRH treatment, and found that E suppressed expression of transcription factor Zfhx1a, and enhanced GnRH stimulation of Egr-1 mRNA and protein. E effects were abolished in the presence of antiestrogen. Egr-1 is critical for LHβ expression; however, the role of Zfhx1a, which binds to E-box sequences, was untested. We found E-box motifs in both the rat LHβ (−381, −182, and −15 bp) and α-subunit (−292, −64, −58 bp) promoters. Zfhx1a overexpression suppressed basal and GnRH-stimulated activity of both promoters. Mutation of the α-subunit promoter E boxes at either −64 or −58 bp eliminated Zfhx1a suppression, whereas mutation of the −292 bp E box had no effect. Gel shift assays demonstrated that Zfhx1a bound to the −64 and −58, but not −292, bp E-box DNA. Similarly, mutation of LHβ promoter E boxes at either −381 or −182, but not −15, bp reduced Zfhx1a suppression, correlating with binding of Zfhx1a. The −381 bp LHβ E box overlaps with an Sp1 binding site in the distal GnRH-stimulatory region, and increased Sp1 expression overcame Zfhx1a suppression. Thus, one mechanism by which E may enhance GnRH-stimulated LH subunit promoter activity is through regulation of both activators and suppressors of transcription.

2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zolzaya Tumurgan ◽  
Haruhiko Kanasaki ◽  
Tuvshintugs Tumurbaatar ◽  
Aki Oride ◽  
Hiroe Okada ◽  
...  

Abstract Kisspeptin (encoded by the Kiss-1 gene) in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus governs the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis by regulating pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Meanwhile, kisspeptin in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) region has been implicated in estradiol (E2)-induced GnRH surges. Kiss-1–expressing cell model mHypoA-55 exhibits characteristics of Kiss-1 neurons in the ARC region. On the other hand, Kiss-1 expressing mHypoA-50 cells originate from the AVPV region. In the mHypoA-55 ARC cells, activin significantly increased Kiss-1 gene expression. Follistatin alone reduced Kiss-1 expression within these cells. Interestingly, activin-induced Kiss-1 gene expression was completely abolished by follistatin. Inhibin A, but not inhibin B reduced Kiss-1 expression. Activin-increased Kiss-1 expression was also abolished by inhibin A. Pretreatment of the cells with follistatin or inhibin A significantly inhibited kisspeptin- or GnRH-induced Kiss-1 gene expression in mHypoA-55 cells. In contrast, in the mHypoA-50 AVPV cell model, activin, follistatin, and inhibin A did not modulate Kiss-1 gene expression. The subunits that compose activin and inhibin, as well as follistatin were expressed in both mHypoA-55 and mHypoA-50 cells. Expression of inhibin βA and βB subunits and follistatin was much higher in mHypoA-55 ARC cells. Furthermore, we found that expression of the inhibin α subunit and follistatin genes was modulated in the presence of E2 in mHypoA-55 ARC cells. The results of this study suggest that activin, follistatin, and inhibin A within the ARC region participate in the regulation of the HPG axis under the influence of E2.


Diabetes ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Matsuda ◽  
E. Araki ◽  
R. Yoshimura ◽  
K. Tsuruzoe ◽  
N. Furukawa ◽  
...  

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1719-1727
Author(s):  
C S Suen ◽  
W W Chin

The expression of the rat growth hormone (rGH) gene in the anterior pituitary gland is modulated by Pit-1/GHF-1, a pituitary-specific transcription factor, and by other more widely distributed factors, such as the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs), Sp1, and the glucocorticoid receptor. Thyroid hormone (T3)-mediated transcriptional stimulation of rGH gene expression has been extensively studied in vivo and in vitro including the measurements of (i) rGH mRNA by blot hybridization, (ii) transcriptional rate of rGH gene by nuclear run-on, and (iii) reporter gene expression in which a chimeric plasmid containing 5'-flanking sequences of the rGH gene linked to a reporter gene has been transfected either stably or transiently into pituitary and/or nonpituitary cells. From these studies, it has been suggested that the Pit-1/GHF-1 binding site is necessary for full T3 action. We developed a cell-free in vitro transcription system to examine further the roles of the TRs and Pit-1/GHF-1 in rGH gene activation. Using GH3 nuclear extract as a source of TRs and Pit-1/GHF-1, this in vitro transcription assay showed that T3 stimulation of rGH promoter activity is dependent on the addition of T3 to the GH3 nuclear extract. This transcriptional stimulation was augmented with increasing concentrations of ligand and was T3, but not T4 or reverse T3, specific. T3-mediated stimulation of rGH promoter activity was completely abolished by preincubation of the nuclear extract with rGH-thyroid hormone response element (-200 to -160) but not with Pit-1/GHF-1 (-137 to -65) oligonucleotides. Further, neither deletion of both Pit-1/GHF-1 binding sites nor mutation of the proximal Pit-1/GHF-1 binding site from the rGH promoter abrogated the T3 effect. These results provide evidence that T3-stimulated rGH promoter activity is independent of Pit-1/GHF-1 and raise the possibility that the stimulation of rGH gene expression by T3 might involve direct interaction of TRs with the general transcriptional apparatus.


2008 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa Kovacevic-Grujicic ◽  
Kazunari Yokoyama ◽  
Milena Stevanovic

In this study, we examine the role of three highly conserved putative binding sites for Myc-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) in regulation of the human SOX3 gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift and supershift assays indicate that complexes formed at two out of three MAZ sites of the human SOX3 promoter involve ubiquitously expressed MAZ protein. Furthermore, in cotransfection experiments we demonstrate that MAZ acts as a positive regulator of SOX3 gene transcription in both undifferentiated and RA-differentiated NT2/D1 cells. Although MAZ increased both basal and RA-induced promoter activity, our results suggest that MAZ does not contribute to RA inducibility of the SOX3 promoter during neuronal differentiation of NT2/D1 cells.


2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 4080-4092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayumu Nakashima ◽  
Takeshi Kawamoto ◽  
Kiyomasa K. Honda ◽  
Taichi Ueshima ◽  
Mitsuhide Noshiro ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT DEC1 suppresses CLOCK/BMAL1-enhanced promoter activity, but its role in the circadian system of mammals remains unclear. Here we examined the effect of Dec1 overexpression or deficiency on circadian gene expression triggered with 50% serum. Overexpression of Dec1 delayed the phase of clock genes such as Dec1, Dec2, Per1, and Dbp that contain E boxes in their regulatory regions, whereas it had little effect on the circadian phase of Per2 and Cry1 carrying CACGTT E′ boxes. In contrast, Dec1 deficiency advanced the phase of the E-box-containing clock genes but not that of the E′-box-containing clock genes. Accordingly, DEC1 showed strong binding and transrepression on the E box, but not on the E′ box, in chromatin immunoprecipitation, electrophoretic mobility shift, and luciferase reporter assays. Dec1 −/− mice showed behavioral rhythms with slightly but significantly longer circadian periods under conditions of constant darkness and faster reentrainment to a 6-h phase-advanced shift of a light-dark cycle. Knockdown of Dec2 with small interfering RNA advanced the phase of Dec1 and Dbp expression, and double knockdown of Dec1 and Dec2 had much stronger effects on the expression of the E-box-containing clock genes. These findings suggest that DEC1, along with DEC2, plays a role in the finer regulation and robustness of the molecular clock.


Hypertension ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 721-721
Author(s):  
Quan He

P155 Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) gene expression accompanies cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. The vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET)may be involved in the development of these diseases. ET has also been shown to activate phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ). Thus we studied whether ET and PLA 2 metabolites regulate BNP gene expression. The hBNP promoter (-1818 to + 100) coupled to a luciferase reporter gene was transferred into neonatal ventricular myocytes (NVM),and luciferase activity was measured as an index of promoter activity. ET (10 -7 M)induced BNP mRNA in NVM as assessed by Northern blot. It also stimulated the hBNP promoter 4-fold vs control, an effect completely inhibited by actinomycin D. To test the involvement of different PLA 2 isoforms, transfected cells were treated with the Ca ++ -independent PLA 2 (iPLA 2 )inhibitor bromoenol lactone (BEL), the cytosolic PLA 2 inhibitor methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate, or the secretory PLA 2 inhibitor ONO-RS-082 prior to stimulation with ET. Only the iPLA 2 inhibitor BEL prevented ET-stimulated hBNP promoter activity. The PLA 2 metabolite lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) also activated the hBNP promoter (2.2-fold; n = 3), but lysophosphatidylcholine did not. To test whether arachidonic acid metabolites are involved in ET’s effect, cells were pretreated with either a lipoxygenase (LO), cyclooxygenase, or p450 monooxygenase inhibitor. Only the LO inhibitor baicalein prevented ET stimulation of the hBNP promoter. Finally, we studied the involvement of cis elements in ET-stimulated hBNP promoter activity. Deletion of BNP promoter sequences from -1818 to -408 and from -408 to -40 reduced ET’s effect by 54% and 78%, respectively. Moreover, ET-stimulated luciferase activity was reduced by 53% when the GATA element (at position -85 relative to the start site of transcription) was mutated. These data suggest that: 1) ET activates the hBNP promoter through a transcriptional mechanism; 2) LPA, perhaps generated by a BEL-sensitive iPLA 2 , is involved in ET’s effect; 3) a LO pathway may also mediate ET signaling; and 4) ET regulation of the hBNP promoter targets both distal and proximal cis elements, including GATA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (26) ◽  
pp. 8736-8745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiko Sakamoto ◽  
Yusuke Terui ◽  
Takeshi Uemura ◽  
Kazuei Igarashi ◽  
Keiko Kashiwagi

Polyamines regulate gene expression in Escherichia coli by translationally stimulating mRNAs encoding global transcription factors. In this study, we focused on histone acetylation, one of the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation of gene expression, to attempt to clarify the role of polyamines in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. We found that activities of histone acetyltransferases in both the nucleus and cytoplasm decreased significantly in polyamine-reduced mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cells. Although protein levels of histones H3 and H4 did not change in control and polyamine-reduced cells, acetylation of histones H3 and H4 was greatly decreased in the polyamine-reduced cells. Next, we used control and polyamine-reduced cells to identify histone acetyltransferases whose synthesis is stimulated by polyamines. We found that polyamines stimulate the translation of histone acetyltransferases GCN5 and HAT1. Accordingly, GCN5- and HAT1-catalyzed acetylation of specific lysine residues on histones H3 and H4 was stimulated by polyamines. Consistent with these findings, transcription of genes required for cell proliferation was enhanced by polyamines. These results indicate that polyamines regulate gene expression by enhancing the expression of the histone acetyltransferases GCN5 and HAT1 at the level of translation. Mechanistically, polyamines enhanced the interaction of microRNA-7648-5p (miR-7648-5p) with the 5′-UTR of GCN5 mRNA, resulting in stimulation of translation due to the destabilization of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) between the 5′-UTR and the ORF of GCN5 mRNA. Because HAT1 mRNA has a short 5′-UTR, polyamines may enhance initiation complex formation directly on this mRNA.


2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takanobu Sato ◽  
Kousuke Kitahara ◽  
Takao Susa ◽  
Takako Kato ◽  
Yukio Kato

Recently, we have reported that a Prophet of Pit-1 homeodomain factor, Prop-1, is a novel transcription factor for the porcine follicle-stimulating hormone β subunit (FSHβ) gene. This study subsequently aimed to examine the role of Prop-1 in the gene expression of two other porcine gonadotropin subunits, pituitary glycoprotein hormone α subunit (αGSU), and luteinizing hormone β subunit (LHβ). A series of deletion mutants of the porcine αGSU (up to −1059 bp) and LHβ (up to −1277 bp) promoters were constructed in the reporter vector, fused with the secreted alkaline phosphatase gene (pSEAP2-Basic). Transient transfection studies using GH3 cells were carried out to estimate the activation of the porcine αGSU and LHβ promoters by Prop-1, which was found to activate the αGSU promoter of −1059/+12 bp up to 11.7-fold but not the LHβ promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNase I footprinting analysis revealed that Prop-1 binds to six positions, −1038/−1026, −942/−928, −495/−479, −338/−326, −153/−146, and −131/−124 bp, that comprise the A/T cluster. Oligonucleotides of six Prop-1 binding sites were directly connected to the minimum promoter of αGSU, fused in the pSEAP2-Basic vector, followed by transfecting GH3 cells to determine the cis-acting activity. Finally, we concluded that at least five Prop-1 binding sites are the cis-acting elements for αGSU gene expression. The present results revealed a notable feature of the proximal region, where three Prop-1-binding sites are close to and/or overlap the pituitary glycoprotein hormone basal element, GATA-binding element, and junctional regulatory element. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the role of Prop-1 in the regulation of αGSU gene expression. These results, taken together with our previous finding that Prop-1 is a transcription factor for FSHβ gene, confirm that Prop-1 modulates the synthesis of FSH at the transcriptional level. On the other hand, the defects of Prop-1 are known to cause dwarfism and combined pituitary hormone deficiency accompanying hypogonadism. Accordingly, the present observations provide a novel view to understand the hypogonadism caused by Prop-1 defects at the molecular level through the regulatory mechanism of αGSU and FSHβ gene expressions.


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