title: The role of GATA in mammalian reproduction.
abstract: GATA transcription factors are emerging as critical players in mammalian reproductive development and function. GATA-4 contributes to fetal male gonadal development by regulating genes mediating Müllerian duct regression and the onset of testosterone production. GATA-2 expression appears to be sexually dimorphic being transiently expressed in the germ cell lineage of the fetal ovary but not the fetal testis. In the reproductive system, GATA-1 is exclusively expressed in Sertoli cells at specific seminiferous tubule stages. In addition, GATA-4 and GATA-6 are localized primary to ovarian and testicular somatic cells. The majority of cell transfection studies demonstrate that GATA-1 and GATA-4 can stimulate inhibin subunit gene promoter constructs. Other studies provide strong evidence that GATA-4 and GATA-6 can activate genes mediating gonadal cell steroidogenesis. GATA-2 and GATA-3 are found in pituitary and placental cells and can regulate alpha-glycoprotein subunit gene expression. Gonadal expression and activation of GATAs appear to be regulated in part by gonadotropin signaling via the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A pathway. This review will cover the current knowledge regarding GATA expression and function at all levels of the reproductive axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA. hlavoie@med.sc.edu
authors.forename: Holly A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: LaVoie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D012733:Sex Differentiation; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D013256:Steroids; D014157:Transcription Factors