title: Expression and localization of inhibin/activin and activin receptors in GH3 cells, a rat pituitary adenocarcinoma cell line.
abstract: Inhibins and activins are members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) superfamily. Since TGF beta has been shown to be a potent proliferation-inhibiting agent for the pituitary adenocarcinoma cell line, GH3, we determined whether this cell line (a) transcribes mRNAs coding for inhibin/activin subunits (alpha and beta A) and activin receptors I, II, and IIB; and (b) produces inhibin and/or activin proteins. Messenger RNAs for the alpha- and beta A-subunits of inhibin and activin receptors I, II, and IIB in GH3 cells were detected and localized using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and in situ hybridization, respectively. The identity of the RT-PCR products was confirmed by DNA sequencing of PCR products. Immunocytochemically, inhibin and activin were localized in these cells. Our findings indicate that messenger RNAs encoding inhibin alpha- and beta A-subunits and activin receptors I, II, and IIB were expressed, and inhibin/activin proteins were produced, by GH3 cells, imply that these gonadal growth factors may have paracrine/autocrine functions in rat pituitary adenocarcinoma. Further, these observation suggest that these growth factors may be involved in regulating the growth and differentiational of rat pituitary adenocarcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Neurobiology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: S Q
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D029404:Activin Receptors; D028341:Activins; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D029404:Activin Receptors