Novel expression of type 1 corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor in multiple endocrine cell types in the murine anterior pituitary.
The CRH family of ligands signals via two distinct receptors, CRH-R1 and CRH-R2. Previous studies localized CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 to a subset of anterior pituitary corticotropes and gonadotropes, respectively. However, numerous studies have indicated that stress and CRH activity can alter the secretion of multiple anterior pituitary hormones, suggesting a broader expression of the CRH receptors in pituitary. To examine this hypothesis, the in vivo expression of CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 mRNA was further characterized in adult mouse pituitary. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that CRH-R1 mRNA is greater than 100-fold more abundant than CRH-R2 mRNA in male and female mouse pituitaries. Dual in situ hybridization analysis identified cell-specific CRH-R1 expression in the anterior pituitary. At least half of the CRH-R1-positive cells expressed proopiomelanocortin-mRNA (50% in females; 70% in males). In females, a significant percentage of the cells expressing CRH-R1 also expressed transcript for prolactin (40%), LHbeta (10%), or TSH (3%), all novel sites of CRH-R1 expression. Similarly in males, a percentage of CRH-R1-positive cells expressed prolactin (12%), LHbeta (13%), and TSH (5%). RT-PCR studies with immortalized murine anterior pituitary cell lines showed CRH-R1 and/or CRH-R2 expression in corticotropes (AtT-20 cells), gonadotropes (alphaT3-1 and LbetaT2 cells), and thyrotropes (alphaTSH cells). Whereas CRH-R1 expression in corticotropes is well established, the presence of CRH-R1 mRNA in a subset of lactotropes, gonadotropes, and thyrotropes establishes these cell types as novel sites of murine CRH-R1 expression and highlights the pituitary as an important site of interaction between the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and multiple endocrine axes.
Westphal
Nicole J
NJ
Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200, USA.
Evans
Ryan T
RT
Seasholtz
Audrey F
AF
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1
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