Abrupt pubertal elevation of DNase I gene expression in human pituitary glands of both sexes.
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.
Yasuda
Toshihiro
T
Department of Biology, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Takeshita
Haruo
H
Nakajima
Tamiko
T
Mogi
Kouichi
K
Kaneko
Yasushi
Y
Ueki
Misuzu
M
Iida
Reiko
R
Kishi
Koichiro
K
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
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I