title: Abrupt pubertal elevation of DNase I gene expression in human pituitary glands of both sexes.
abstract: Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) was confirmed to be expressed in the human pituitary gland, particularly the anterior lobe, at levels comparable to those in the pancreas. The DNase I activity and the amount of gene transcript present in the pituitary glands of individuals aged from 1 month to 89 years was significantly age-dependent, with an abrupt elevation after the neonatal and prepubertal periods irrespective of gender, followed by a gradual age-dependent decline in males and a marked reduction in females in their postreproductive period. This DNase I age dependence in the pituitary gland was not present in the pancreas and serum. These observations suggest that tissue-specific up-regulation of DNase I gene expression in the pituitary gland occur, possibly at the onset of puberty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Tamiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mogi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Misuzu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueki
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000201:enzymology*; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I