title: Activin A regulates porcine follicle-stimulating hormone beta-subunit transcription via cooperative actions of SMADs and FOXL2.
abstract: Activins stimulate FSH synthesis and secretion by pituitary gonadotrope cells. Activin A induction of porcine and murine FSHβ (Fshb) gene transcription in immortalized gonadotropes is dependent on homolog of Drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD) proteins as well as the forkhead transcription factor L2 (FOXL2). Using both heterologous and homologous cell models, we demonstrate that FOXL2 functionally synergizes with SMAD3/4 to stimulate porcine Fshb promoter-reporter activity. We further show that endogenous FOXL2 and SMAD2/3 physically interact in homologous cells. We identify two composite cis-elements of adjacent FOXL2 and SMAD binding sites in the proximal porcine Fshb promoter that mediate activin A, FOXL2, and SMAD3 actions. FOXL2 can bind these elements independently of SMADs, whereas SMAD3/4 binding requires high-affinity FOXL2 binding. Conversely, FOXL2 alone is insufficient to regulate Fshb transcription and requires SMADs to induce promoter activity. Collectively, our data suggest a model in which activins stimulate formation and nuclear accumulation of SMAD3/4 complexes, which interact with FOXL2 bound to at least two proximal promoter elements. This association stabilizes SMAD3/4 binding to adjacent SMAD binding elements. SMAD-FOXL2 complexes then mediate activation of transcription through a currently unknown mechanism. Conservation of one of the two composite cis-elements suggests that this may form part of a general mechanism whereby activins regulate Fshb subunit transcription and FSH synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lamba
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ouspenskaia
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Libasci
authors.forename: Terence E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D051785:Smad Proteins; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins