A prominent functional change during differentiation of lutein cells from follicular thecal and granulosa cells is an enhanced production and secretion of progestins. The regulation of this process is not fully understood but may be associated with the expression of transcription factors which activate genes, products of which are involved in pathways of the cholesterol and lipid metabolism. As peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) play a role in both pathways, we were interested in the expression of PPARgamma, a PPAR form which is involved in adipogenic differentiation. First, we were able to show the expression of PPARgamma in bovine lutein cells (day 12 of the ovarian cycle) at the mRNA and protein level by imaging, flow cytometry and blot analysis, and secondly a role of PPARgamma in the secretion of progesterone. The cells (24 h culture) responded dose dependently by increasing progesterone secretion (up to 1.5-fold of the basal level) to an endogenous ligand of PPARgamma, 15-deoxy-delta12,14 prostaglandin J2 (15-dPGJ2) and to the thiazolidinedione ciglitizone. Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) was found to reduce the intracellular PPARgamma level and to promote cell cycle progress, indicating that ATA can be used as a tool for experimental changes of PPARgamma proteins in intact cells and for studying the physiological consequences. The ATA-mediated decrease of PPARgamma was accompanied by reduced progesterone production and a progression of the cell cycle, suggesting a function of PPARgamma in both processes. The response to ATA was abrogated by a high dose (>490 nM) of 15-dPGJ2, suggesting that 15-dPGJ2 exerts its effect on steroidogenic activity via PPARgamma and that the 15-dPGJ2-PPARgamma system plays a role in the maintenance of a differentiated quiescent stage in lutein cells.

Abstract

Transcription initiation in the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene is complex, involving multiple sites in two exons. While most transcripts are initiated in exon 1 in vivo, critical regulatory mechanisms are difficult to assess in intact animals. To examine the impact of insulin and growth hormone (GH) under more controlled conditions, we have studied the utilization of different exon 1 and exon 2 transcription-initiation sites in normal rat hepatocytes in primary culture. Normal rat hepatocytes were cultured for 48 h in serum-free medium, with insulin at 10⁻⁶ or 10⁻¹¹ m, and with or without human GH 200 ng/ml. Relative abundance of IGF-I transcripts was evaluated by the RNase-protection assay, using a probe which permitted identification of initiation in exon 1 (site 1 (−380 bp from the 3′ end of exon 1), site 2 (−343 bp), site 3 (−242 bp), sites 1 and 2 spliced, and site 4 (−32 bp)), as well as in exon 2. After normalization of signal intensity to adjust for differences in length of protected probe, the utilization of initiation sites in vitro was remarkably similar to that in vivo: 1, 14, 6, 23, 19 and 37% for sites 1, 2, 3, 1 and 2 spliced, 4 and exon 2 respectively in the cultured hepatocytes, compared with 1, 12, 8, 21, 18 and 40% for these sites in normal liver. Insulin alone increased transcripts initiated from exon 1, site 2 by over 3 times, and both sites 1 and 2 spliced and exon 2 transcripts by about 5 times. GH alone had similar effects, producing a 4–5 times increase in transcripts from these initiation sites. Addition of both insulin and GH had additive effects, increasing transcripts from exon 1, sites 2, 3 and 4 by 4–6 times, and from exon 1, sites 1 and 2 spliced, and exon 2 by over 8 times. Of the total IGF-I mRNA transcripts, 37% were initiated from sites 2 and/or sites 1 and 2 spliced, and 37% from exon 2. Analysis of the relative contribution of individual initiation sites revealed hormone-induced increases which were statistically significant only for exon 2, in the presence of insulin alone and in combination with GH.

In conclusion, in cultured hepatocytes, insulin or GH alone produced a coordinated increase in all exon 1 transcripts, and the effect of the combination of insulin and GH was additive for these transcripts. Exon 2 appeared to be more sensitive to insulin alone, and to GH in the presence of insulin, than exon 1. Since utilization of initiation sites in hepatocytes mimics that found in liver, this in vitro system should be useful for examining underlying transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 151, 215–223

Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) is a key regulator of endocrine development, and mediates expression of gonadotrophin-specific genes in the pituitary. Basal and hormone stimulated transcription of the human glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit gene (alphaGSU) in gonadotrophs involves SF-1 and its cognate binding site, the gonadotroph-specific element (GSE). In this study, we demonstrate that SF-1 significantly enhances basal and forskolin-stimulated transcription of the human alphaGSU promoter in GH(3) cells. Mutation of the GSE abolished the SF-1-mediated transactivation of basal alphaGSU promoter activity, and significantly attenuated the forskolin effect by 50%. Mutation of the Ser203 residue in SF-1 to Ala blocked basal transactivation of alphaGSU promoter activity, and halved the forskolin effect. These data collectively reveal a direct role for SF-1 and the GSE in mediating basal and forskolin-stimulated transcription of the human alphaGSU promoter in GH(3) cells. The phosphorylation site at Ser203 appears to be required for these effects.

Abstract

The molecular mechanism for hormone- and serum-dependent regulation of thyroglobulin (TG) gene expression was studied. A construct of rat TG promoter (−178 to −3) linked to a luciferase gene was transfected into TSH-, insulin- and serum-deprived FRTL-5 cells. Addition of TSH, insulin or serum augmented the luciferase activity. The endogenous TG mRNA level was also increased, indicating that the promoter used confers responsiveness of TG gene to these additives. The possible involvement of thyroid-transcription factors, TTF-1, TTF-2 and Pax-8, in the induction of TG gene transcription was studied using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Since the protein/DNA ratio in FRTL-5 cell extracts was significantly increased by these additives, binding activities of these factors per unit of DNA were examined. It was demonstrated that TSH, insulin or serum increased not only TTF-2 binding activity but also the binding activities of TTF-1 and Pax-8. However, the magnitude of the increase in TTF-1 and Pax-8 mRNA levels per unit of DNA was less than that of the binding activity. Taken together, our results suggest that TSH, insulin and serum increase the binding activities of TTF-1 and Pax-8 to the TG promoter presumably through the posttranslational modification of the factors, thereby enhancing TG gene transcription.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 150, 287–298

Abstract

The pituitary gland of the rdw rat (gene symbol: rdw) with hereditary dwarfism expresses 30–100 times less GH and prolactin (PRL) mRNA than normal controls. To clarify the features of rdw rats, TSH and the pituitary-specific transcription factor Pit-1, which is involved not only in the gene expression of GH and PRL but in somatotroph, lactotroph and thyrotroph development as well, were examined. The rdw pituitary contained about seven times more TSHβ mRNA than the normal control, whereas Pit-1 mRNA expression in rdw and control was the same. Nucleotide sequencing of PCR-amplified Pit-1 cDNA indicated that the deduced amino acid sequence of rdw Pit-1 was identical with that of the normal rat. Using an antibody against rat Pit-1 protein produced in E. coli, Western blotting analysis demonstrated the presence of the same amount of Pit-1 protein in rdw and normal rat pituitaries. The distribution of Pit-1-positive cells in the anterior pituitary was essentially the same in rdw and normal rats. It follows from these findings that the defective gene in the rdw rat is unrelated to the Pit-1 gene and the normal quantity of Pit-1 protein is insufficient to produce normal amounts of GH and PRL in the rdw pituitary. These and previous results suggest that the reduction in GH and PRL production in the rdw pituitary might be due to that in thyroid hormone production.

Journal of Endocrinology (1994) 143, 479–487

The transcription factor Pax8 plays an important role in the expression of the differentiated phenotype of thyroid follicular cells. It has recently been shown that Pax8 is necessary for thyroglobulin (Tg) gene expression in the fully differentiated rat thyroid cell line PC. We have used the PC model system to investigate the role of Pax8 as a mediator of TSH regulation of Tg gene expression. We have demonstrated that Pax8 expression, as well as Tg expression, is severely reduced in cells grown in the absence of hormones and serum. The re-addition of TSH or forskolin to the culture medium is able to restore to wild-type levels the expression of both Pax8 and Tg. We have determined that the action of TSH/forskolin on Pax8 is at the transcriptional level. However, the re-expression of Pax8 can be observed several hours before that of Tg, suggesting that either another factor is needed or that Pax8 itself must be post-translationally modified by a newly synthesized protein to become active. To distinguish between these two possibilities we have stably transfected into PC cells an exogenous Pax8 that is expressed independently of TSH. Our results indicate that in these cells the Tg promoter is still dependent on TSH despite the constitutive presence of Pax8. Furthermore, we also show that in this condition Tg gene transcription requires de novo protein synthesis. In conclusion, TSH regulates the expression of Pax8 at a transcriptional level and also regulates the activity of Pax8 by controlling the expression of one or more as yet unknown factors.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) by IGFs in primary cultures of rat articular chondrocytes (RAC). Employing Western ligand blotting, immunoprecipitation and Northern blot analysis, RAC were found to secrete IGFBP-5 (29 kDa) and IGFBP-4 (24 kDa) as the predominant IGFBPs, as well as IGFBP-2 (32–30 kDa) and IGFBP-3 (43–39 kDa) as the minor species. Treatment of cells with IGF-I and IGF-II resulted in a dose-dependent increase of IGFBP-5 and a small increase in IGFBP-4 in conditioned media (CM). Des(1–3) IGF-I and [Gln⁶, Ala⁷,Tyr¹⁸, Leu¹⁹] IGF-II ([QAYL] IGF-II), which bind to the type 1 IGF receptor but not to IGFBPs, also induced IGFBP-5 peptide, although the increase was less than with IGF-I or IGF-II treatment of RAC. [Leu²⁷] IGF-II, which does not bind to the type 1 IGF receptor but binds to IGFBPs, resulted in little induction of IGFBP-5, while [QAYL-Leu²⁷] IGF-II, which has reduced affinity for both the type 1 IGF receptor and IGFBPs, did not increase IGFBP-5. These data suggest that the increase in IGFBP-5 in CM is modulated by both the type 1 IGF receptor and the interaction between IGFs and IGFBPs. Northern blotting analysis showed that IGF-I, IGF-II and des(1–3) IGF-I treatment of RAC increased steady state levels of IGFBP-5 mRNA, suggesting that the IGF-mediated increase in IGFBP-5 is transcriptionally modulated. Interestingly, the increase in IGFBP-5 peptide levels and mRNA were not parallel, suggesting the possibility of post-translational modifications of IGFBP-5, such as those seen with IGFBP-5 protease. IGFBP-5 protease activity was detectable in untreated CM, whereas treatment with IGF-I and IGF-II partially protected IGFBP-5 from proteolysis. In summary, treatment of RAC with IGF-I and IGF-II results in dose-dependent increases in both IGFBP-5 peptide in the CM and mRNA levels. These changes are mediated by interactions via the type 1 IGF receptor as well as IGFBPs, both transcriptionally and post-translationally.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 148, 355–369

Abstract

The mutant rat thyroid cell line FRTL-5/TA, isolated from a non-functional tumour which originated spontaneously from wild-type FRTL-5 cells, shows autonomous TSH-independent growth and loss of the thyroid-specific phenotype, lacking thyroid-specific expression of thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) genes. To investigate the role of the transcription factors Pax-8 and thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) in rat thyroid tumorigenesis, RNA expression of these two thyroid-specific nuclear factors was measured in FRTL-5/TA tumour cells and compared with the expression in wild-type FRTL-5 cells. TTF-1 gene expression was similar to that in wild-type FRTL-5, and showed a similar down-regulation after stimulation with TSH. The finding suggested normal TTF-1 mRNA and protein expression in both cell lines. By contrast, Pax-8 mRNA transcript signal was markedly reduced in FRTL-5/TA cells, reaching levels as low as 8% of the normal, basal level in FRTL-5 cells. These data indicated that the loss of thyroid-specific expression of Tg and TPO genes in FRTL-5/TA cells was not related to changes in TTF-1 gene expression but rather to reduced Pax-8 gene expression. It was concluded that a disruption of the co-ordinated expression of TTF-1 and Pax-8 is implicated in the loss of thyroid phenotype of FRTL-5/TA cells in terms of reduced Tg and TPO expression.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 150, 377–382

Growth factors are essential for cellular growth and differentiation in both normal and malignant human breast epithelial cells. In the present study we investigated the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) on chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor (COUP-TF) expression in human breast cancer cells. The orphan receptors COUP-TFI and COUP-TFII are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The high degree of evolutionary conservation of these proteins strongly argues for an important biological function. COUP-TF expression was highest in SK-BR3 cells (approximately 130 amol/ micro g total RNA), while the lowest COUP-TF expression was observed in MCF-7 cells (3.5 amol/ micro g total RNA). While treatment of EGF, TGFalpha and PMA induced expression of COUP-TFII, COUP-TFI did not respond to these agents. Oncostatin M (OSM) is known to exert an antiproliferative effect in breast cancer cells. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with OSM resulted in an approximately 90% reduction of COUP-TFII mRNA expression. In SK-BR3 cells, treatment with the MEK inhibitor UO126 resulted in a profound suppression of endogenous COUP-TFII expression. Furthermore, cotreatment with UO126 prevented induction of COUP-TFII expression by EGF in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, our data provide evidence, for the first time, that mitogenic substances which activate the MAP kinase pathway, can induce COUP-TFII expression. Our results strongly suggest that an active MAP kinase pathway is essential for COUP-TFII expression in human breast cancer cells.

ABSTRACT

The rdw rat (gene symbol: rdw) with hereditary dwarfism has been shown immunohistochemically to have subnormal numbers not only of GH- but also of prolactin- and thyrotrophin-positive cells. To characterize the dwarfism of this strain, the expression of pituitary hormone mRNAs was examined by Northern hybridization. The pituitary gland in the rdw rat expressed 30–100 times less GH and prolactin mRNAs than normal controls, whereas mRNAs for pro-opiomelanocortin and the α subunit of rat glycoprotein hormone revealed a significant increase. There was a non-significant difference in rat LH-β subunit and FSH-β subunit between normal and rdw rats. The suppressed expression of a pituitary-specific transcription factor, Pit-1, is considered to cause hereditary dwarfism in mouse strains Snell and Jackson, whose phenotypes resemble those of the rdw rat. In this study, however, no difference in mRNA expression for Pit-1 was found between rdw rats and controls. This work indicates that the rdw rat may not have the same genotype as the phenotypically similar dwarf mice, Snell, Jackson and Ames.

Journal of Endocrinology (1993) 138, 307–313