title: Progesterone upregulates GATA-1 on erythroid progenitors cells in liquid culture.
abstract: Steroids hormones modify the hematological features of homozygous sickle cell disease, including the levels of fetal hemoglobin. We used semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of GATA-1, GATA-2, NF-E2, and gamma-globin mRNA levels in a two-phase liquid culture system of human adult erythroid cells in order to assay the effect of progesterone upon gene expression. The levels of expression of GATA-1 and gamma-globin mRNA were significantly increased in cells treated with progesterone compared to untreated cells (1.7- to 2.0-fold). Progesterone treatment did not produce any stimulatory effect upon GATA-2 and NF-E2 mRNA expression. Differences in the synthesis of HbF protein could not be detected by flow cytometry, although we observed a small difference in mean intensity fluorescence between cells treated and cells untreated with progesterone on days 7 and 9. Using anti-transferrin receptor and anti-glycophorin A antibodies, we verified that addition of progesterone did not cause any change in erythroid proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, it is possible that the increased expression of gamma-globin mRNA after progesterone treatment observed in this study may be related to the increased GATA-1 mRNA expression. Interactions of the steroid receptors with the basal transcriptional machinery and with transcription factors might mediate their transcriptional effects.
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Hemotherapy Centre, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: da Silva Santos Duarte
authors.forename: Tereza Sueko Ide
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.forename: José O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Mengel
authors.forename: Fernando Ferreira
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Sara Teresinha Olalla
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Saad
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor; D005914:Globins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D050983:NF-E2 Transcription Factor; D050984:NF-E2 Transcription Factor, p45 Subunit; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor; C494688:GATA1 protein, human; D050983:NF-E2 Transcription Factor; D050984:NF-E2 Transcription Factor, p45 Subunit; C494692:NFE2 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011374:Progesterone; D005914:Globins