title: Immunocytochemical demonstration of chicken hypophyseal thyrotropes and development of a radioimmunological indicator for chicken TSH using monoclonal and polyclonal homologous antibodies in a subtractive strategy.
abstract: The production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) toward the chicken pituitary glycoproteins are described. MAbs were first subdivided on an immunocytochemical (ICC) basis: one category of mAbs reacts with both thyrotropic and gonadotropic cells whereas another stains exclusively gonadotropic cells. The hypothesis that the former are anti-glycoprotein alpha and that the latter are anti-beta LH and/or anti-beta FSH mAbs was further elaborated in a homologous tracer binding assay. The putative anti-beta gonadotropin mAbs exclusively recognize iodinated USDA-cLH-I-1, whereas the supposed anti-alpha mAbs react with both USDA-cLH-I-1 and USDA-cFSH-I-1. The ICC localization of pituitary thyrotropes has been achieved in a double-staining protocol using an anti-LH mAb to subtract specifically the gonadotropic cells from the complete alpha-subunit-containing cell population. The result is a strictly cephalic cell population that is densely granulated in hyperthyroid and hardly detectable in hypothyroid birds. A similar subtractive approach was used to develop a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-indicator in RIA. The total titer of alpha-containing molecules is first quantified with an anti-alpha mAb. The contribution of both LH and FSH to this titer is then measured by homologous USDA-RIA and subtracted from the total alpha-immunoreactivity to give an indication of the TSH level of the sample. The direct effect of thyroid-releasing hormone on pituitary TSH release in vitro in juvenile chicks and the effect of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on circulating TSH levels in vivo in juvenile broilers have been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology and Immunological Biotechnology, Zoological Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Berghman
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Darras
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Chiasson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Decuypere
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buyse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vandesande
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin