title: Grass carp prolactin: molecular cloning, tissue expression, intrapituitary autoregulation by prolactin and paracrine regulation by growth hormone and luteinizing hormone.
abstract: Prolactin (PRL), a pituitary hormone with diverse functions, is well-documented to be under the control of both hypothalamic and peripheral signals. Intrapituitary modulation of PRL expression via autocrine/paracrine mechanisms has also been reported, but similar information is still lacking in lower vertebrates. To shed light on autocrine/paracrine regulation of PRL in fish model, grass carp PRL was cloned and its expression in the carp pituitary has been confirmed. In grass carp pituitary cells, local secretion of PRL could suppress PRL release with concurrent rises in PRL production and mRNA levels. Paracrine stimulation by growth hormone (GH) was found to up- regulate PRL secretion, PRL production and PRL transcript expression, whereas the opposite was true for the local actions of luteinizing hormone (LH). Apparently, local interactions of PRL, GH and LH via autocrine/paracrine mechanisms could modify PRL production in carp pituitary cells through differential regulation of PRL mRNA stability and gene transcription.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; YMU-HKBU Joint Laboratory of Traditional Natural Medicine, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Chengyuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Guangfu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wendy K W
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: olwong@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Anderson O L
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone
keywords: Grass carp; Growth hormone; Luteinizing hormone; Pituitary; Prolactin