title: Positive association between expression of follicle-stimulating hormone beta and activin betaB-subunit genes in boars.
abstract: This study tested our hypothesis that inhibin/activin (I/A) betaB subunit and not follistatin (FS) gene expression relates positively to plasma FSH concentrations in the anterior pituitary gland of boars. Mature crossbred boars (n = 12) were selected for divergence in plasma FSH concentrations, and their anterior pituitary glands were evaluated for expression of the FSHbeta, I/A ssB, FS, calmodulin, and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) genes by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or RNase protection assays (RPAs). Expression of I/A ssB was greater (p < 0. 01) in the six boars with high FSH than in the six with low FSH; expression of the I/A betaB-subunit gene was positively correlated to that of the FSHbeta gene (RT-PCR: r = 0.96; p < 0.01; RPA: r = 0.68; p < 0.05). In contrast, expression of the FS (p > 0.10), GnRH-R (p > 0. 08), and calmodulin (p > 0.10) genes was similar in the two groups of boars. Additionally, expression of the FSHbeta gene was correlated positively with pituitary and plasma FSH concentrations (r = 0.69 and 0.88, respectively; p < 0.05). These results support the hypothesis that activin B is partially responsible for elevated FSH concentrations in boars. Furthermore, the expression difference of the calmodulin gene observed previously between Meishan and White Composite boars represents a breed difference unrelated to FSH.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Research Laboratory, Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation and Departments of Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D012260:Ribonucleases