d-Aspartate in a prolactin-secreting clonal strain of rat pituitary tumor cells (GH(3)).
d-Aspartate (d-Asp) is found in prolactin (PRL)-containing cells of the rat anterior pituitary gland [Lee et al., Brain Res. 838, 193-199, 1999]. In order to determine whether d-Asp is actually produced by the anterior pituitary gland and whether it plays a physiological role in PRL function, a PRL-secreting clonal strain of rat pituitary tumor cells (GH(3)) was employed in this study. HPLC analysis and immunocytochemical staining detected the presence and synthesis of d-Asp in the cytoplasm of these cells. In addition, thyrotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated PRL secretion was increased in a dose-dependent fashion by d-Asp from these cells. These results suggest that the anterior pituitary gland synthesizes d-Asp and that d-Asp acts as a messenger in this gland.
Long
Z
Z
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
Lee
J A
JA
Okamoto
T
T
Nimura
N
N
Imai
K
K
Homma
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin