Functional role of the RET dependence receptor, GFRa co-receptors and ligands in the pituitary.
The RET receptor is a tyrosine kinase receptor implicated in kidney and neural development. In the adenopituitary RET and the co-receptor GFRa1 are expressed exclusively in the somatotrophs secreting GH. RET is implicated in a clever pathway to maintain at physiological levels the number of somatotrophs and the GH production. Thus, in absence of its ligand GDNF, RET induces apoptosis through massive expression of Pit-1 leading to p53 accumulation. In the presence of the ligand GDNF, RET activates its tyrosine kinase and promotes survival at the expense of reducing Pit-1 expression and downregulating GH. Recent data suggest that RET can also have a second role in pituitary plasticity through a second co-receptor GFRa2.
Garcia-Lavandeira
Montserrat
M
Diaz-Rodriguez
Esther
E
Garcia-Rendueles
Maria E R
MER
Rodrigues
Joana S
JS
Perez-Romero
Sihara
S
Bravo
Susana B
SB
Alvarez
Clara V
CV
D000818:Animals; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors / Q000502:physiology*; D051098:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050817:Transcription Factor Pit-1 / Q000502:physiology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology
D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D051098:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factors; D050817:Transcription Factor Pit-1; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret