title: Chorionic gonadotropin and its receptor are both expressed in human retina, possible implications in normal and pathological conditions.
abstract: Extra-gonadal role of gonadotropins has been re-evaluated over the last 20 years. In addition to pituitary secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), the CNS has been clearly identified as a source of hCG acting locally to influence behaviour. Here we demonstrated that human retina is producing this gonadotropin that acts as a neuroactive molecule. Müller glial and retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells are producing hCG that may affects neighbour cells expressing its receptor, namely cone photoreceptors. It was previously described that amacrine and retinal ganglion (RGC) cells are targets of the gonadotropin releasing hormone that control the secretion of all gonadotropins. Therefore our findings suggest that a complex neuroendocrine circuit exists in the retina, involving hCG secreting cells (glial and RPE), hCG targets (photoreceptors) and hCG-release controlling cells (amacrine and RGC). The exact physiological functions of this circuit have still to be identified, but the proliferation of photoreceptor-derived tumor induced by hCG demonstrated the need to control this neuroendocrine loop.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sladjana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dukic-Stefanovic
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wosch
authors.forename: Gerolf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Claudepierre
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D021381:Protein Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011974:Receptors, LH