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Fontaine R, Rahmad Royan M, Henkel C, Hodne K, Ager-Wick E, Weltzien FA. Pituitary multi-hormone cells in mammals and fish: history, origin, and roles. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101018. [PMID: 35870647 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate pituitary is a dynamic organ, capable of adapting its hormone secretion to different physiological demands. In this context, endocrinologists have debated for the past 40 years if endocrine cells are mono- or multi-hormonal. Since its establishment, the dominant "one cell, one hormone" model has been continuously challenged. In mammals, the use of advanced multi-staining approaches, sensitive gene expression techniques, and the analysis of tumor tissues have helped to quickly demonstrate the existence of pituitary multi-hormone cells. In fishes however, only recent advances in imaging and transcriptomics have enabled the identification of such cells. In this review, we first describe the history of the discovery of cells producing multiple hormones in mammals and fishes. We discuss the technical limitations that have led to uncertainties and debates. Then, we present the current knowledge and hypotheses regarding their origin and biological role, which provides a comprehensive review of pituitary plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Fontaine
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| | - Muhammad Rahmad Royan
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Christiaan Henkel
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Kjetil Hodne
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Eirill Ager-Wick
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Finn-Arne Weltzien
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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2
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Ruf-Zamojski F, Zhang Z, Zamojski M, Smith GR, Mendelev N, Liu H, Nudelman G, Moriwaki M, Pincas H, Castanon RG, Nair VD, Seenarine N, Amper MAS, Zhou X, Ongaro L, Toufaily C, Schang G, Nery JR, Bartlett A, Aldridge A, Jain N, Childs GV, Troyanskaya OG, Ecker JR, Turgeon JL, Welt CK, Bernard DJ, Sealfon SC. Single nucleus multi-omics regulatory landscape of the murine pituitary. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2677. [PMID: 33976139 PMCID: PMC8113460 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22859-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To provide a multi-omics resource and investigate transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, we profile the transcriptome, chromatin accessibility, and methylation status of over 70,000 single nuclei (sn) from adult mouse pituitaries. Paired snRNAseq and snATACseq datasets from individual animals highlight a continuum between developmental epigenetically-encoded cell types and transcriptionally-determined transient cell states. Co-accessibility analysis-based identification of a putative Fshb cis-regulatory domain that overlaps the fertility-linked rs11031006 human polymorphism, followed by experimental validation illustrate the use of this resource for hypothesis generation. We also identify transcriptional and chromatin accessibility programs distinguishing each major cell type. Regulons, which are co-regulated gene sets sharing binding sites for a common transcription factor driver, recapitulate cell type clustering. We identify both cell type-specific and sex-specific regulons that are highly correlated with promoter accessibility, but not with methylation state, supporting the centrality of chromatin accessibility in shaping cell-defining transcriptional programs. The sn multi-omics atlas is accessible at snpituitaryatlas.princeton.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederique Ruf-Zamojski
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA.
| | - Zidong Zhang
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, and Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Michel Zamojski
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregory R Smith
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalia Mendelev
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanqing Liu
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - German Nudelman
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Mika Moriwaki
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hanna Pincas
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosa Gomez Castanon
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Venugopalan D Nair
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Nitish Seenarine
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Anne S Amper
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Luisina Ongaro
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Chirine Toufaily
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gauthier Schang
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Joseph R Nery
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anna Bartlett
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Aldridge
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nimisha Jain
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA
| | - Gwen V Childs
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Olga G Troyanskaya
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, and Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph R Ecker
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Judith L Turgeon
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Corrine K Welt
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Daniel J Bernard
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stuart C Sealfon
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, NY, USA.
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GPR101 drives growth hormone hypersecretion and gigantism in mice via constitutive activation of G s and G q/11. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4752. [PMID: 32958754 PMCID: PMC7506554 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18500-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) is a key modulator of growth and GH over-secretion can lead to gigantism. One form is X-linked acrogigantism (X-LAG), in which infants develop GH-secreting pituitary tumors over-expressing the orphan G-protein coupled receptor, GPR101. The role of GPR101 in GH secretion remains obscure. We studied GPR101 signaling pathways and their effects in HEK293 and rat pituitary GH3 cell lines, human tumors and in transgenic mice with elevated somatotrope Gpr101 expression driven by the rat Ghrhr promoter (GhrhrGpr101). Here, we report that Gpr101 causes elevated GH/prolactin secretion in transgenic GhrhrGpr101 mice but without hyperplasia/tumorigenesis. We show that GPR101 constitutively activates not only Gs, but also Gq/11 and G12/13, which leads to GH secretion but not proliferation. These signatures of GPR101 signaling, notably PKC activation, are also present in human pituitary tumors with high GPR101 expression. These results underline a role for GPR101 in the regulation of somatotrope axis function.
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Ho Y, Hu P, Peel MT, Chen S, Camara PG, Epstein DJ, Wu H, Liebhaber SA. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of adult mouse pituitary reveals sexual dimorphism and physiologic demand-induced cellular plasticity. Protein Cell 2020; 11:565-583. [PMID: 32193873 PMCID: PMC7381518 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-020-00705-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior pituitary gland drives highly conserved physiologic processes in mammalian species. These hormonally controlled processes are central to somatic growth, pubertal transformation, fertility, lactation, and metabolism. Current cellular models of mammalian anteiror pituitary, largely built on candidate gene based immuno-histochemical and mRNA analyses, suggest that each of the seven hormones synthesized by the pituitary is produced by a specific and exclusive cell lineage. However, emerging evidence suggests more complex relationship between hormone specificity and cell plasticity. Here we have applied massively parallel single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), in conjunction with complementary imaging-based single-cell analyses of mRNAs and proteins, to systematically map both cell-type diversity and functional state heterogeneity in adult male and female mouse pituitaries at single-cell resolution and in the context of major physiologic demands. These quantitative single-cell analyses reveal sex-specific cell-type composition under normal pituitary homeostasis, identify an array of cells associated with complex complements of hormone-enrichment, and undercover non-hormone producing interstitial and supporting cell-types. Interestingly, we also identified a Pou1f1-expressing cell population that is characterized by a unique multi-hormone gene expression profile. In response to two well-defined physiologic stresses, dynamic shifts in cellular diversity and transcriptome profiles were observed for major hormone producing and the putative multi-hormone cells. These studies reveal unanticipated cellular complexity and plasticity in adult pituitary, and provide a rich resource for further validating and expanding our molecular understanding of pituitary gene expression programs and hormone production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yugong Ho
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Peng Hu
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Michael T Peel
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sixing Chen
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Pablo G Camara
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Penn Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Douglas J Epstein
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Stephen A Liebhaber
- Departments of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Departments of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Fontaine R, Ciani E, Haug TM, Hodne K, Ager-Wick E, Baker DM, Weltzien FA. Gonadotrope plasticity at cellular, population and structural levels: A comparison between fishes and mammals. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 287:113344. [PMID: 31794734 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Often referred to as "the master gland", the pituitary is a key organ controlling growth, maturation, and homeostasis in vertebrates. The anterior pituitary, which contains several hormone-producing cell types, is highly plastic and thereby able to adjust the production of the hormones governing these key physiological processes according to the changing needs over the life of the animal. Hypothalamic neuroendocrine control and feedback from peripheral tissues modulate pituitary cell activity, adjusting levels of hormone production and release according to different functional or environmental requirements. However, in some physiological processes (e.g. growth, puberty, or metamorphosis), changes in cell activity may be not sufficient to meet the needs and a general reorganization of cell composition and pituitary structure may occur. Focusing on gonadotropes, this review examines plasticity at the cellular level, which allows precise and rapid control of hormone production and secretion, as well as plasticity at the population and structural levels, which allows more substantial changes in hormone production. Further, we compare current knowledge of the anterior pituitary plasticity in fishes and mammals in order to assess what has been conserved or not throughout evolution, and highlight important remaining questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Fontaine
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Elia Ciani
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Trude Marie Haug
- Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil Hodne
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Eirill Ager-Wick
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Dianne M Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, VA22401 Fredericksburg, VA, USA
| | - Finn-Arne Weltzien
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0454 Oslo, Norway.
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Trifunović S, Lakić I, Vujović P, Jevdjović T, Šošić-Jurjević B, Milošević V, Djordjević J. Morphofunctional parameters of rat somatotrophes after acute and repeated immobilization or restraint stress. Acta Histochem 2019; 121:29-34. [PMID: 30342863 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that stress changes levels of pituitary hormones in the bloodstream and in the pituitary itself. However, almost nothing is known about the impact of stress on histological and stereological parameters of the growth hormone producing cells (somatotrophs-GH cells). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of: acute and repeated immobilization; acute and repeated restraint on histological and morphofunctional parameters of somatotrophs in adult Wistar rats. Changes in the pituitary gland volume; the volume density and volume of somatotrophs following acute and repeated immobilization (IMO, R-IMO); acute and repeated restraint (R, R-R) were evaluated using a stereological system (newCAST), while growth hormone level within pituitary was determined by Western blot. Our results demonstrated the decrease (p < 0.05) of the pituitary volume (17%, 19%) in the IMO and R groups, respectively, and the increase in the R-R group. The volume density of GH cells decreased (p < 0.05) in the R-IMO (7%), R (26%) and R-R (18%) group in comparison to the control value. The pituitary GH content was increased (p < 0.05) after the IMO (2-fold), R (2.5-fold) and R-R (2.1-fold) as compared to the control group. These results point out that acute and repeated immobilization and/or restraint lead not only to changes in GH hormone concentration, but also modify the morphological aspects of GH cells within the rat pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Trifunović
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Department of Cytology, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Iva Lakić
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry, Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Predrag Vujović
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry, Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tanja Jevdjović
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry, Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branka Šošić-Jurjević
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Department of Cytology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Verica Milošević
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Department of Cytology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena Djordjević
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry, Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Fletcher PA, Sherman A, Stojilkovic SS. Common and diverse elements of ion channels and receptors underlying electrical activity in endocrine pituitary cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 463:23-36. [PMID: 28652171 PMCID: PMC5742314 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary gland contains six types of endocrine cells defined by hormones they secrete: corticotrophs, melanotrophs, gonadotrophs, thyrotrophs, somatotrophs, and lactotrophs. All these cell types are electrically excitable, and voltage-gated calcium influx is the major trigger for their hormone secretion. Along with hormone intracellular content, G-protein-coupled receptor and ion channel expression can also be considered as defining cell type identity. While many aspects of the developmental and activity dependent regulation of hormone and G-protein-coupled receptor expression have been elucidated, much less is known about the regulation of the ion channels needed for excitation-secretion coupling in these cells. We compare the spontaneous and receptor-controlled patterns of electrical signaling among endocrine pituitary cell types, including insights gained from mathematical modeling. We argue that a common set of ionic currents unites these cells, while differential expression of another subset of ionic currents could underlie cell type-specific patterns. We demonstrate these ideas using a generic mathematical model, showing that it reproduces many observed features of pituitary electrical signaling. Mapping these observations to the developmental lineage suggests possible modes of regulation that may give rise to mature pituitary cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A Fletcher
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Arthur Sherman
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stanko S Stojilkovic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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8
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Trifunović S, Manojlović-Stojanoski M, Ajdžanović V, Nestorović N, Ristić N, Medigović I, Milošević V. Effects of genistein on stereological and hormonal characteristics of the pituitary somatotrophs in rats. Endocrine 2014; 47:869-77. [PMID: 24752394 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-014-0265-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary somatotropic system plays a pivotal role in the regulation of physiological processes and metabolism, which is modulated by gonadal steroids. Considering that genistein belongs to the phytoestrogen family and acts via similar mechanisms to estrogens, the present study was designed to demonstrate whether genistein modulates the morphofunctional characteristic of somatotrophs [growth hormone (GH) cells] in adult rats in comparison with the effects of estradiol. In the study, the orchidectomized adult rats were used as an appropriate model system for testing the effects of this hormone-like substance. Changes in the pituitary somatotrophs were evaluated histologically and stereologically, while GH level was determined biochemically. Using immunolabelling and stereological methods, we showed that orchidectomy (Orx) provoked the decrease of GH cell volume density. After estradiol treatment of Orx rats, the most prominent change concerned the pituitary relative intensity of GH fluorescence and circulating GH level, which were elevated 77 % and 4.7-fold, respectively. Clearly, in contrast to orchidectomy, estradiol treatment enhanced the GH cells activity. Genistein treatment increased pituitary weight and volume, GH cell volume density, the total number of GH cells, and GH blood concentration (1.3-fold) in comparison to the Orx group. Although identical tendencies followed estradiol and genistein administration, the changes observed after genistein treatment were milder compared to estradiol treatment.
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9
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Pérez-Millán MI, Zeidler MG, Saunders TL, Camper SA, Davis SW. Efficient, specific, developmentally appropriate cre-mediated recombination in anterior pituitary gonadotropes and thyrotropes. Genesis 2013; 51:785-92. [PMID: 23996951 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2012] [Revised: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Tissue-specific expression of cre recombinase is a well-established genetic tool to analyze gene function, and it is limited only by the efficiency and specificity of available cre mouse strains. Here, we report the generation of a transgenic line containing a cre cassette with codon usage optimized for mammalian cells (iCre) under the control of a mouse glycoprotein hormone α-subunit (αGSU) regulatory sequences in a bacterial artificial chromosome genomic clone. Initial analysis of this transgenic line, Tg(αGSU-iCre), with cre reporter strains reveals onset of cre activity in the differentiating cells of the developing anterior pituitary gland at embryonic day 12.5, with a pattern characteristic of endogenous αGSU. In adult mice, αGSU-iCre was active in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and in the cells that produce αGSU (gonadotropes and thyrotropes) with high penetrance. Little or no activity was observed in other tissues, including skeletal and cardiac muscle, brain, kidney, lungs, testis, ovary, and liver. This αGSU-iCre line is suitable for efficient, specific, and developmentally regulated deletion of floxed alleles in anterior pituitary gonadotropes and thyrotropes.
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10
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Senovilla L, Núñez L, Villalobos C, García-Sancho J. Rapid changes in anterior pituitary cell phenotypes in male and female mice after acute cold stress. Endocrinology 2008; 149:2159-67. [PMID: 18202140 DOI: 10.1210/en.2007-1030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The anterior pituitary (AP) is made of five different cell types. The relative abundance and phenotype of AP cells may change in different physiological situations as an expression of pituitary plasticity. Here, we analyze in detail the phenotype of mouse corticotropes and the effects of acute cold stress on AP cell populations. The hormone content and the expression of hypothalamic-releasing hormone (HRH) receptors in all the five AP cell types were studied in the male and female mice at rest and after a 30-min cold stress. Expression of HRH receptors was evidenced by imaging the single-cell cytosolic Ca(2+) responses in fura-2-loaded cells. Hormone contents were studied by multiple, simultaneous immunofluorescence of all the five hormones. Corticotropes displayed a striking sexual dimorphism, even in the resting condition. Male corticotropes showed the orthodox phenotype. They were monohormonal, storing only ACTH, and monoreceptorial, responding only to CRH. In contrast, female corticotropes were made of about equal parts of orthodox cells and multifunctional cells, which co-stored additional AP hormones and expressed additional HRH receptors. Cold stress did not modify the number of ACTH containing cells, but, according to immunostaining, it increased the relative abundance of other AP cell types at the expense of the pool of cells storing no hormones. Cold stress also modified the response to CRH and other HRHs. Most of these phenotypical changes presented a strong sexual dimorphism. These results indicate that pituitary plasticity is even larger than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Senovilla
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Universidad de Valladolid, C/ Sanz y Forés s/n, 47003 Valladolid, Spain
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11
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Smid JR, Rowland JE, Young WG, Coschigano KT, Kopchick JJ, Waters MJ. Mouse molar dentin size/shape is dependent on growth hormone status. J Dent Res 2007; 86:463-8. [PMID: 17452569 DOI: 10.1177/154405910708600514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) status affects dental development, but how GH influences tooth size/shape is unclear. Since GH affects dental epithelial proliferation, we hypothesized that GH influences the tooth crown and root dimensions. Dentin matrix dimensions were measured in longitudinal sections of decalcified first mandibular molars from 3 genetically modified mice: giant (GH-Excess) mice and dwarf (GH-Antagonist and GH-Receptor-Knockout) mice. GH status was found to influence crown width, root length, and dentin thickness. Analysis of these data suggests that GH influences both tooth crown and root development prior to dentinogenesis as well as during appositional growth of dentin. This is concordant with the expression of paracrine GH and GH receptors during tooth bud morphogenesis, and of GH receptors in the enamel organ, dental papilla, and Hertwig's epithelial root sheath during dentinogenesis. Based on prior studies, these GH morphogenetic actions may be mediated by the induction of both bone morphogenetic protein and insulin-like growth factor-1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Smid
- Oral Biology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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12
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Abstract
Tissue-specific stem cells are uncovered in a growing number of organs by their molecular expression profile and their potential for self-renewal, multipotent differentiation and tissue regeneration. Whether the pituitary gland also contains a pool of versatile 'master' cells that drive homeostatic, plastic and regenerative cell ontogenesis is at present unknown. Here, I will give an overview of data that may lend support to the existence of stem cells in the postnatal pituitary. During the many decades of pituitary research, various approaches have been used to hunt for the pituitary stem cells. Transplantation and regeneration studies advanced chromophobes as possible source of new hormonal cells. Clonogenicity approaches identified pituitary cells that clonally expand to floating spheres, or to colonies in adherent cell cultures. Behavioural characteristics and changes of marginal, follicular and folliculostellate cells during defined developmental and (patho-)physiological conditions have been interpreted as indicative of a stem cell role. Expression of potential stem cell markers like nestin, as well as topographical localization in the marginal zone around the cleft has also been considered to designate pituitary stem cells. Finally, a 'side population' was recently identified in the postnatal pituitary which in many other tissues represents a stem cell-enriched fraction. Taken together, in the course of the long-standing study of the pituitary, several arguments have been presented to support the existence of stem cells, and multiple cell types have been placed in the spotlight as possible candidates. However, none of these cells has until now unequivocally been shown to meet all quintessential characteristics of stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Vankelecom
- Laboratory of Cell Pharmacology, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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13
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Denef C, Pals K, Hauspie A, Vankelecom H, Seuntjens E. Combinatorial expression of phenotypes of different cell lineages in the rat and mouse pituitary. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2006; 1040:84-8. [PMID: 15891010 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1327.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
As studied by single cell RT-PCR of pituitary hormones, we demonstrated that the pituitaries of rats and mice contain a subpopulation of cells that express two or more hormone phenotypes typically belonging to lineages that are branched separately early during embryonic development, such as glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit (alphaGSU) mRNA + PRL mRNA, alphaGSU mRNA + POMC mRNA, and POMC mRNA + GH or PRL mRNA. GnRH in vitro selectively expands the population of cells coexpressing alphaGSU mRNA + PRL mRNA, and CRH selectively increases the proportion of cells coexpressing alphaGSU mRNA + POMC mRNA. Colocalization of alphaGSU + PRL or alphaGSU + POMC could not be detected by double immunofluorescence. This lineage promiscuity was also observed in the pituitary in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Denef
- Laboratory of Cell Pharmacology, University of Leuven, School of Medicine, Belgium.
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14
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Villalobos C, Núñez L, García-Sancho J. Phenotypic characterization of multi-functional somatotropes, mammotropes and gonadotropes of the mouse anterior pituitary. Pflugers Arch 2005; 449:257-64. [PMID: 15378370 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-004-1337-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The existence of bihormonal anterior pituitary (AP) cells co-storing growth hormone and either prolactin (mammosomatotrope) or gonadotropins (somatogonadotrope) has been described. These cells have been proposed to be involved in "paradoxical" secretion [secretion of an AP hormone induced by a non-related hypothalamic releasing factor (HRH) and transdifferentiation (a phenotypic switch between different cell types without cell division]. Here we combine calcium imaging (to assess HRH responsiveness) and multiple sequential immunoassay of the six AP hormones to perform a single-cell phenotypic study of multifunctional somatotropes, mammotropes and gonadotropes in the normal male and female mouse pituitaries. AP cell phenotypes differed from the classic view, showing multiple HRH-receptor expression and/or hormone storage. Mammosomatotropes represented only 5-6% of somatotropes and were poorly responsive to HRHs, suggesting that their contribution to paradoxical secretion should be very limited. Somatogonadotropes were present only in females and contained adrenocorticotropic hormone. They responded to growth hormone-releasing hormone but failed to respond to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LHRH). Other polyhormonal cells identified include (1) gonadocorticotropes, restricted to females, where they make up more than 50% of all the gonadotropes and contain other AP hormones; (2) gonadomammotropes, which are present preferentially in female cells and respond to LHRH; and (3) gonadothyrotropes, which are present similarly in male and female pituitaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Villalobos
- Departamento de Fisiología y Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM), Universidad de Valladolid and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Ramón y Cajal 7, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
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15
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Villalobos C, Núñez L, García-Sancho J. Anterior pituitary thyrotropes are multifunctional cells. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2004; 287:E1166-70. [PMID: 15226100 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00194.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Anterior pituitary (AP) contains some unorthodox multifunctional cells that store and secrete two different AP hormones (polyhormonal cells) and/or respond to several hypothalamic-releasing hormones (HRHs; multiresponsive cells). Multifunctional cells may be involved in paradoxical secretion (secretion of a given AP hormone evoked by a noncorresponding HRH) and transdifferentiation (phenotypic switch between different mature cell types without cell division). Here we combine calcium imaging (to assess responses to the four HRHs) and multiple sequential immunoassay of the six AP hormones to perform a single-cell phenotypic study of thyrotropes in normal male and female mice. Surprisingly, most of the thyrotropes were polyhormonal, containing, in addition to thyrotropin (TSH), luteinizing hormone (40-42%) and prolactin (19-21%). Thyrotropes costoring growth hormone and/or ACTH were found only in females (24% of each type). These results suggest that costorage of the different hormones does not happen at random and that gender favors certain hormone combinations. Our results indicate that thyrotropes are a mosaic of cell phenotypes rather than a single cell type. The striking promiscuity of TSH storage should originate considerable mix-up of AP hormone secretions on stimulation of thyrotropes. However, response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone was much weaker in the polyhormonal thyrotropes than in the monohormonal ones. This would limit the appearance of paradoxical secretion under physiological conditions and suggests that timing of hormone and HRH receptor expression during the transdifferentiation process is finely and differentially regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Villalobos
- Dept. Fisiología y Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, University of Valladolid, E-47005 Valladolid, Spain
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16
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Zemkova H, Balik A, Kretschmannova K, Mazna P, Stojilkovic SS. Recovery of Ins(1,4,5)-trisphosphate-dependent calcium signaling in neonatal gonadotrophs. Cell Calcium 2004; 36:89-97. [PMID: 15193857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2003.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2003] [Revised: 12/16/2003] [Accepted: 12/17/2003] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Pituitary gonadotrophs express non-desensitizing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors and their activations leads to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-dependent Ca2+ mobilization. When added in physiological concentration range GnRH induces baseline Ca2+ oscillations, whereas in higher concentrations it induces a prolonged spike response accompanied with non-oscillatory or oscillatory plateau response. Here, we studied the recovery of calcium signaling during repetitive stimulation with short (10-30 s) GnRH pulses and variable interpulse intervals in neonatal gonadotrophs perfused with Ca2+/Na+ -containing, Ca2+ -deficient/Na+ -containing, and Ca2+ -containing/Na+ -deficient media. In Ca2+/Na+ -containing medium, baseline Ca2+ oscillations recovered without refractory period and with a time constant of approximately 20 s, whereas the recovery of spike response occurred after 25-35 s refractory period and with a time constant of approximately 30 s. During repetitive GnRH stimulation, removal of Ca2+ had only a minor effect on baseline oscillations but abolished spike response, whereas removal of Na+ slightly extended duration of baseline oscillations and considerably prolonged spike response. These results indicate that two calcium handling mechanisms are operative in gonadotrophs: redistribution of calcium within InsP3-sensitive and -insensitive pools and a sodium-dependent calcium efflux followed by calcium influx. Redistribution of Ca2+ within the cell leads to rapid recovery of InsP3-dependent pool, whereas the Na+ -dependent Ca2+ efflux pathway is activated by spike response and limits the time of exposure to elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Zemkova
- Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Prague 4.
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17
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Targeted ablation of gonadotrophs in transgenic mice depresses prolactin but not growth hormone gene expression at birth as measured by quantitative mRNA detection. J Biomed Sci 2003. [DOI: 10.1007/bf02256333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Nuñez L, Villalobos C, Senovilla L, García-Sancho J. Multifunctional cells of mouse anterior pituitary reveal a striking sexual dimorphism. J Physiol 2003; 549:835-43. [PMID: 12730343 PMCID: PMC2342984 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.040758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of cells storing and secreting two different anterior pituitary (AP) hormones (polyhormonal cells) or responding to several hypothalamic releasing hormones (HRHs) (multiresponsive cells) has been reported previously. These multifunctional cells could be involved in paradoxical secretion (AP hormone secretion evoked by a non-corresponding HRH) and transdifferentiation (phenotypic switch between mature cell types without cell division). Despite their putative physiological relevance, a comprehensive characterization of multifunctional AP cells is lacking. Here we combine calcium imaging (to assess responses to the four HRHs) and multiple sequential immunoassay of the six AP hormones in the same individual cells to perform a complete phenotypic characterization of mouse AP cells. Polyhormonal and multiresponsive cells were identified within all five AP cell types. They were scarce in the more abundant cell types, somatotropes and lactotropes, but quite frequent in corticotropes and gonadotropes. Cells with mixed phenotypes were the rule rather than the exception in thyrotropes, where 56-83 % of the cells stored two to five different hormones. Multifunctional AP cells were much more abundant in females than in males, indicating that the hormonal changes associated with the sexual cycle may promote transdifferentiation. As the phenotypic analysis was performed here after stimulation with HRHs, the fraction of polyhormonal cells might have been underestimated. With this limitation, the polyhormonal cells detected here responded to the HRHs less than the monohormonal ones, suggesting that they might contribute less than expected a priori to paradoxical secretion. Overall, our results reveal a striking sexual dimorphism, the female pituitary being much more plastic than the male pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Nuñez
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM), Universidad de Valladolid and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valladolid, Spain
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Abstract
The melanocortin (MC) gamma3-MSH is believed to signal through the MC3 receptor. We showed that it induces a sustained increase in intracellular free calcium levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) in a subpopulation of pituitary cells. Most of the cells responding to gamma3-MSH express more than one pituitary hormone mRNA. The effect of gamma3-MSH is blocked by SHU9119, a MC3R and MC4R antagonist, in only 50% of the responsive cells, suggesting that in half of these cells the mediating receptor is not the MC3R. Low picomolar doses of gamma3-MSH increase [Ca(2+)](i) in the growth hormone (GH)- and prolactin (PRL)-secreting GH3 cell line. gamma2-MSH and alpha-MSH display a similar effect. SHU9119 does not affect the gamma3-MSH-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response. MTII, a potent synthetic agonist of the MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R, also shows no or low potency in increasing [Ca(2+)](i). By means of RT-PCR, the mRNA of the MC2R, MC3R, and MC4R receptors is undetectable. Experiments testing gamma2-MSH analogues with single alanine replacements show that, unlike the classic MCRs, the His(5)-Phe(6)-Arg(7)-Trp(8) sequence in gamma2-MSH is not a core sequence for activating the gamma-MSH receptor in GH3 cells, whereas Met(3) is essential. Low nanomolar doses of gamma-MSH increase intracellular cAMP levels. Blockade of protein kinase A abolishes the [Ca(2+)](i) responses to gamma3-MSH. gamma2-MSH increases binding of [S(35)]GTPgammaS to membrane preparations of GH3 cells. The pharmacological characteristics of gamma-MSH peptides and analogues on [Ca(2+)](i) and the signal-transduction pathways present strong evidence for the expression of a hitherto uncharacterized gamma-MSH receptor in GH3 cells, belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor family.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Denef
- Laboratory of Cell Pharmacology, University of Leuven Medical School, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Hauspie A, Seuntjens E, Vankelecom H, Denef C. Stimulation of combinatorial expression of prolactin and glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit genes by gonadotropin-releasing hormone and estradiol-17beta in single rat pituitary cells during aggregate cell culture. Endocrinology 2003; 144:388-99. [PMID: 12488367 DOI: 10.1210/en.2002-220606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Previously we showed the existence of rat and mouse anterior pituitary cells coexpressing mRNA from two or more hormone genes in which production and/or storage of the corresponding hormones were not detectable. To substantiate a putative function for these cells, we investigated whether these phenotypes were retained during long-term reaggregate cell culture and whether protagonist regulatory factors could expand cell populations expressing particular hormone mRNA combinations. After 4-wk culture and treatments, aggregates were trypsinized and single cells collected by means of a fluo-rescence-activated cell sorter. Hormone mRNAs were detected by single-cell RT-PCR. Combinatorial hormone mRNA expression was retained in culture. Both estradiol (E2) and GnRH (1 nM) markedly augmented the proportion of cells expressing prolactin (PRL) mRNA together with other hormone mRNAs and cells expressing glycoprotein subunit (GSU)-alpha mRNA together with other hormone mRNAs. GnRH strongly increased the proportion of cells containing alphaGSU mRNA alone, but E2 did not. GnRH and (E2) affected the expansion of a population (approximately 20% of all cells) coexpressing PRL and alphaGSU mRNA without betaGSUs. Immunostaining of stored hormone on tissue sections revealed colocalization of PRL and alphaGSU in the E2- but not in the GnRH-treated cells. The present findings suggest that cells coexpressing different pituitary hormone mRNAs form a distinct population that survives without extrapituitary factors. Their occurrence can be markedly modified by regulatory factors. Certain hormone regimens favor unique coexpressions distinctly at mRNA and protein level. These peculiar characteristics support the notion that combinatorial expression of hormone genes in the pituitary serves a biological role.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hauspie
- Laboratory of Cell Pharmacology, University of Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Medical School, Campus Gasthuisberg (O&N), B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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