title: Differential expression pattern of inhibin alpha and betaA subunits in the ovaries of postnatal and prepubertal lambs.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to characterize gene and protein expression of follistatin, inhibin alpha (alpha) and inhibin betaA (betaA) subunits in the ovaries of postnatal (3-week-old) and prepubertal (14 and 20-25-week-old) lambs. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of two alpha and two betaA mRNAs. In postnatal ovary the a 1.2-kb transcript was abundant, its amount gradually falling, while the 2.0-kb mRNA increased and became a major band at 20-25 weeks. Both betaA mRNAs, 4.5 kb and 6.0-7.5 kb, were weakly expressed in postnatal ovary, but whereas the 4.5-kb mRNA expression remained at a low level, that of the 6.0-7.5 kb mRNA increased about five fold in prepubertal ovary. The ratio of total alpha mRNAs to the dominant betaA form (6.0-7.5 kb) varied from 1.27 at 3 weeks to 0.33 at 20-25 weeks of age. One major follistatin mRNA of 2.5-3.6 kb was recognized and was constitutively expressed during ovarian growth. Several molecular-mass forms of alpha and betaA subunits with different compositions were seen in prepubertal compared with postnatal ovaries, the latter exhibiting more active follicular growth. In summary, ovine ovaries undergo distinct changes early in life, both morphological and functional, and show a changing pattern of inhibin subunit expression.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Institute of Animal Science, Bet Dagan, Israel. vlbrawtr@volcani.agri.gov.il
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Braw-Tal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yossefi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zenou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D038681:Follistatin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D038681:Follistatin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D010455:Peptides; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C043076:beta-microseminoprotein; C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone