Expression and localization of activin beta A-subunit and activin receptors in TM3, a mouse Leydig cell line.
We have determined whether TM3 cells, a cell line derived from a murine Leydig cell tumor, (a) transcribe messenger RNAs encoding the beta A-subunits of inhibin/activin, and activin receptors I, II, and IIB, and (b) produce activin-A protein. Messenger RNAs for inhibin/activin beta A-subunits and activin receptors II, and IIB in TM3 cells were localized and expressed using in situ hybridization and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, respectively. The identify of the RT-PCR products was confirmed by DNA sequencing of PCR products. Immunocytochemically, activin-A was localized in these cells. We observed that messenger RNAs encoding activin beta A-subunit as well as activin receptors II, and IIB were expressed and activin protein was produced by TM3 cells. These findings suggest that activin-A may have autocrine functions in TM3 cells and that activin-A may be involved in regulating the growth and differentiation of mouse Leydig cells.
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Department of Cell and Neurobiology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033, USA.
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Ying
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D029404:Activin Receptors; D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D029404:Activin Receptors