title: Functional role of the RET dependence receptor, GFRa co-receptors and ligands in the pituitary.
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Lavandeira
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diaz-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Maria E R
authors.initials: MER
authors.lastname: Garcia-Rendueles
authors.forename: Joana S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Sihara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perez-Romero
authors.forename: Susana B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Clara V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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