title: Novel independent and synergistic regulation of gonadotropin-alpha subunit gene by luteinizing hormone/human choriogonadotropin and gonadotropin releasing hormone in the alphaT3-1 gonadotrope cells.
abstract: The alphaT3-1 cells are immortalized anterior pituitary gonadotropes which express gonadotropin-alpha subunit gene. These cells contain receptors for gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) as well as for luteinizing hormone (LH) which can also bind human choriogonadotropin (hCG). Like GnRH, LH and hCG can upregulate the expression of gonadotropin-alpha subunit gene. While 0.1-1.0 ng/ml hCG can upregulate, higher concentrations have no effect. However, these higher hCG concentrations can act in a synergistic manner with GnRH to increase the steady state mRNA and protein levels of gonadotropin-alpha subunit. The synergism between hCG and GnRH was mimicked by LH but not by other hormones in the glycoprotein hormone family or alpha or beta subunits of hCG, suggesting that the synergism is hormone specific and requires the conformation of native hormone. The hCG induced increase in gonadotropin-alpha subunit mRNA levels was due to a significant increase in the half-life of gonadotropin-alpha subunit transcripts from 7.8 +/- 1.0 h in the controls to 16.5 +/- 3.8 h after treatment with hCG. The GnRH induced increase in gonadotropin-alpha subunit mRNA levels was due to both a significant increase in the half-life to 26.2 +/- 3.0 h as well as a significant increase in the transcription rate of the gene (159.0 +/- 7.7% of the control). A greater increase in gonadotropin-alpha subunit mRNA levels following a combined treatment with GnRH and hCG was due to a further increase in half-life to 37.6 +/- 3.1 h as well as a greater increase in the transcription rate of the gene (295.1 +/- 24.2% of the control) as compared to the treatment with GnRH alone. In summary, we conclude that LH and hCG can independently and synergistically act with GnRH to increase the expression of gonadotropin-alpha subunit gene by transcriptional as well as by post-transcriptional mechanisms in alphaT3-1 cells. These effects may be important for the increase of LH levels during the preovulatory surge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Health Sciences Center, University of Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone