title: Human and murine pituitary expression of leukemia inhibitory factor. Novel intrapituitary regulation of adrenocorticotropin hormone synthesis and secretion.
abstract: Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) gene expression was detected in human fetal pituitary tissue by expression of LIF mRNA transcripts, protein immunocytochemistry, and immunoelectron microscopy. Fetal LIF immunoreactivity colocalized with 30% of ACTH-expressing cells, approximately 20% of somatotrophs, and approximately 15% of non-hormone-expressing cells. LIF was also strongly expressed in normal adult pituitary and in four growth hormone-producing and two ACTH-producing adenomas, but not in eight nonfunctioning pituitary tumors. Culture of fetal cells expressing surface LIF-binding sites demonstrated predominance of in vitro ACTH secretion as compared with other pituitary hormones. In AtT-20 murine cells, LIF (ED50 10 pM) stimulated basal proopiomelanocortin mRNA levels by 40% and corticotropin-releasing hormone-induced ACTH secretion (two- to threefold), as did oncostatin M (ED50 30 pM), a related peptide. ACTH responses were not further enhanced by both cytokines together, which is consistent with their shared receptor. Anti-LIF antiserum neutralized basal and LIF-induced ACTH secretion, suggesting autocrine regulation of ACTH by LIF. The results show that human pituitary cells express the LIF gene and LIF-binding sites, predominantly in corticotrophs. Pituitary LIF expression and LIF regulation of proopiomelanocortin and ACTH reflect an intrapituitary role for LIF in modulating early embryonic determination of specific human pituitary cells and as a paracrine or autocrine regulator of mature ACTH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-UCLA School of Medicine 90048.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takino
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zand
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melmed
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D053683:Oncostatin M; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D015850:Interleukin-6; C507837:LIF protein, human; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D008222:Lymphokines; C508351:OSM protein, human; C508352:Osm protein, mouse; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053683:Oncostatin M; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone