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Khalid E, Chang JP. Small GTPase control of pituitary hormone secretion: Evidence from studies in the goldfish (Carassius auratus) neuroendocrine model. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 339:114287. [PMID: 37060929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114287] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The secretion of vertebrate pituitary hormones is regulated by multiple hypothalamic factors, which, while generally activating unique receptor systems, ultimately propagate signals through interacting intracellular regulatory elements to modulate hormone exocytosis. One important family of intracellular regulators is the monomeric small GTPases, a subset of which (Arf1/6, Rac, RhoA, and Ras) is highly conserved across vertebrates and regulates secretory vesicle exocytosis in many cell types. In this study, we investigated the roles of these small GTPases in basal and agonist-dependent hormone release from dispersed goldfish (Carassius auratus) pituitary cells in perifusion experiments. Inhibition of these small GTPases elevated basal LH and GH secretion, except for Ras inhibition which only increased basal LH release. However, variable responses were observed with regard to LH and GH responses to the two goldfish native gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH2 and GnRH3). GnRH-dependent LH release, but not GH secretion, was mediated by Arf1/6 GTPases. In contrast, inhibition of Rac and RhoA GTPases selectively enhanced GnRH3- and GnRH2-dependent GH release, respectively, while Ras inhibition only enhanced GnRH3-evoked LH secretion. Together, our results reveal novel divergent cell-type- and ligand-specific roles for small GTPases in the control of goldfish pituitary hormone exocytosis in unstimulated and GnRH-evoked release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enezi Khalid
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E9
| | - John P Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E9.
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2
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Howard SR. Interpretation of reproductive hormones before, during and after the pubertal transition-Identifying health and disordered puberty. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2021; 95:702-715. [PMID: 34368982 PMCID: PMC9291332 DOI: 10.1111/cen.14578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Puberty is a process of transition from childhood to adult reproductive capacity, governed by the reactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis after a long period of dormancy in mid-childhood. As such, the reproductive hormones are in a state of flux during the adolescent years, and interpretation of both the onset of healthy, concordant puberty and the differentiation of precocious, delayed or disordered puberty, can be challenging. This review is focused on the description of the endocrine axes in healthy puberty and the markers of disorders of puberty that can aid diagnosis and management for patients with these conditions. It will cover the hypothalamic, pituitary and gonadal hormone systems, the dynamic changes that occur during puberty, conditions leading to precocious, delayed or absent puberty and other syndromes with disordered puberty, and the biochemical diagnosis of these different disorders of puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha R. Howard
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
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3
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Grønlien HK, Fontaine R, Hodne K, Tysseng I, Ager-Wick E, Weltzien FA, Haug TM. Long extensions with varicosity-like structures in gonadotrope Lh cells facilitate clustering in medaka pituitary culture. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245462. [PMID: 33507913 PMCID: PMC7842944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that some pituitary cell types are organized in complex networks in both mammals and fish. In this study, we have further investigated the previously described cellular extensions formed by the medaka (Oryzias latipes) luteinizing hormone gonadotropes (Lh cells). Extensions, several cell diameters long, with varicosity-like swellings, were common both in vitro and in vivo. Some extensions approached other Lh cells, while others were in close contact with blood vessels in vivo. Gnrh further stimulated extension development in vitro. Two types of extensions with different characteristics could be distinguished, and were classified as major or minor according to size, origin and cytoskeleton protein dependance. The varicosity-like swellings appeared on the major extensions and were dependent on both microtubules and actin filaments. Immunofluorescence revealed that Lhβ protein was mainly located in these swellings and at the extremity of the extensions. We then investigated whether these extensions contribute to network formation and clustering, by following their development in primary cultures. During the first two days in culture, the Lh cells grew long extensions that with time physically attached to other cells. Successively, tight cell clusters formed as cell somas that were connected via extensions migrated towards each other, while shortening their extensions. Laser photolysis of caged Ca2+ showed that Ca2+ signals originating in the soma propagated from the soma along the major extensions, being particularly visible in each swelling. Moreover, the Ca2+ signal could be transferred between densely clustered cells (sharing soma-soma border), but was not transferred via extensions to the connected cell. In summary, Lh gonadotropes in medaka display a complex cellular structure of hormone-containing extensions that are sensitive to Gnrh, and may be used for clustering and possibly hormone release, but do not seem to contribute to communication between cells themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Romain Fontaine
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil Hodne
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Isabelle Tysseng
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eirill Ager-Wick
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Finn-Arne Weltzien
- Physiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trude Marie Haug
- Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
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4
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Santiago-Andres Y, Golan M, Fiordelisio T. Functional Pituitary Networks in Vertebrates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 11:619352. [PMID: 33584547 PMCID: PMC7873642 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.619352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary is a master endocrine gland that developed early in vertebrate evolution and therefore exists in all modern vertebrate classes. The last decade has transformed our view of this key organ. Traditionally, the pituitary has been viewed as a randomly organized collection of cells that respond to hypothalamic stimuli by secreting their content. However, recent studies have established that pituitary cells are organized in tightly wired large-scale networks that communicate with each other in both homo and heterotypic manners, allowing the gland to quickly adapt to changing physiological demands. These networks functionally decode and integrate the hypothalamic and systemic stimuli and serve to optimize the pituitary output into the generation of physiologically meaningful hormone pulses. The development of 3D imaging methods and transgenic models have allowed us to expand the research of functional pituitary networks into several vertebrate classes. Here we review the establishment of pituitary cell networks throughout vertebrate evolution and highlight the main perspectives and future directions needed to decipher the way by which pituitary networks serve to generate hormone pulses in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yorgui Santiago-Andres
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología Comparada, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Matan Golan
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Lezion, Israel
| | - Tatiana Fiordelisio
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología Comparada, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Chen S, Guo X, He X, Di R, Zhang X, Zhang J, Wang X, Chu M. Insight Into Pituitary lncRNA and mRNA at Two Estrous Stages in Small Tail Han Sheep With Different FecB Genotypes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:789564. [PMID: 35178025 PMCID: PMC8844552 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.789564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary is a remarkably dynamic organ with roles in hormone (FSH and LH) synthesis and secretion. In animals with the FecB (fecundity Booroola) mutation, the pituitary experiences hormone fluctuations during the follicular-luteal transition, which is implicated in the expression and regulation of many genes and regulators. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel type of regulatory factors for the reproductive process. Nevertheless, the expression patterns of lncRNAs and their roles in FecB-mediated follicular development and ovulation remain obscure. Thus, we profiled the pituitary transcriptome during the follicular (F, 45 h after evacuation vaginal sponges) and luteal (L, 216 h after evacuation vaginal sponges) phases in FecB-mutant homozygous (BB) and wild-type (WW) Small Tail Han sheep. We identified 78 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 41 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) between BB_F and BB_L, 32 DEGs and 26 DELs between BB_F and WW_F, 16 DEGs and 29 DELs between BB_L and WW_L, and 50 DEGs and 18 DELs between WW_F and WW_L. The results of real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) correlated well with the transcriptome data. In both the follicular and luteal phases, DEGs (GRID2, glutamate ionotropic receptor delta type subunit 2; ST14, ST14 transmembrane serine protease matriptase) were enriched in hormone synthesis, secretion, and action. MSTRG.47470 and MSTRG.101530 were the trans-regulated elements of ID1 (inhibitor of DNA binding 3, HLH protein) and the DEG ID3 (inhibitor of DNA binding 3, HLH protein), and EEF2 (eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2), respectively; these factors might be involved in melatonin and peptide hormone secretion. In the FecB-mediated follicular phase, MSTRG.125392 targeted seizure-related 6 homolog like (SEZ6L), and MSTRG.125394 and MSTRG.83276 targeted the DEG KCNQ3 (potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 3) in cis, while MSTRG.55861 targeted FKBP4 (FKBP prolyl isomerase 4) in trans. In the FecB-mediated luteal phase, LOC105613905, MSTRG.81536, and MSTRG.150434 modulated TGFB1, SMAD3, OXT, respectively, in trans. We postulated that the FecB mutation in pituitary tissue elevated the expression of certain genes associated with pituitary development and hormone secretion. Furthermore, this study provides new insights into how the pituitary regulates follicular development and ovulation, illustrated by the effect of the FecB mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Di
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosheng Zhang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinlong Zhang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyu Wang, ; Mingxing Chu,
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyu Wang, ; Mingxing Chu,
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6
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Lents CA, Lindo AN, Hileman SM, Nonneman DJ. Physiological and genomic insight into neuroendocrine regulation of puberty in gilts. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2020; 73:106446. [PMID: 32199704 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2020.106446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The timing of pubertal attainment in gilts is a critical factor for pork production and is an early indicator of future reproductive potential. Puberty, defined as age at first standing estrus in the presence of a boar, is brought about by an escape from estrogen inhibition of the GnRH pulse generator, which allows for increasing LH pulses leading to the onset of cyclicity. The biological mechanisms that control the timing of these events is related to decreasing inhibitory signals with a concomitant increase in stimulatory signals within the hypothalamus. The roles of gamma-aminobutyric acid, endogenous opioid peptides, and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone in negatively regulating gonadotropin secretion in gilts is explored. Developmental changes in stimulatory mechanisms of glutamatergic and kisspeptin neurons are important for increased LH pulsatility required for the occurrence of puberty in pigs. Age at first estrus of gilts is metabolically gated, and numerous metabolites, metabolic hormones, and appetite-regulating neurotransmitters have been implicated in the nutritional regulation of gonadotropin secretion. Leptin is an important metabolic signal linking body energy reserves with age at puberty in gilts. Leptin acting through neuropeptide Y and proopiomelanocortin neurons in the hypothalamus has important impacts on the function of the reproductive neurosecretory axis of gilts. Age at puberty in swine is heritable, and genomic analyses reveal it to be a polygenic trait. Genome-wide association studies for pubertal age in gilts have revealed several genomic regions in common with those identified for age at menarche in humans. Candidate genes have been identified that have important functions in growth and adiposity. Numerous genes regulating hypothalamic neuronal function, gonadotropes in the adenohypophysis, and ovarian follicular development have been identified and illustrate the complex maturational changes occurring in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis during puberty in gilts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Lents
- USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Reproduction Research Unit, Clay Center, NE 68966-0166, USA.
| | - A N Lindo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-9600, USA
| | - S M Hileman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-9600, USA
| | - D J Nonneman
- USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Reproduction Research Unit, Clay Center, NE 68966-0166, USA
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7
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Murtazina DA, Arreguin-Arevalo JA, Cantlon JD, Ebrahimpour-Boroojeny A, Shrestha A, Hicks JA, Magee C, Kirkley K, Jones K, Nett TM, Chitsaz H, Clay CM. Enrichment of ovine gonadotropes via adenovirus gene targeting enhances assessment of transcriptional changes in response to estradiol-17 beta†. Biol Reprod 2020; 102:156-169. [PMID: 31504222 PMCID: PMC7443347 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropes represent approximately 5-15% of the total endocrine cell population in the mammalian anterior pituitary. Therefore, assessing the effects of experimental manipulation on virtually any parameter of gonadotrope biology is difficult to detect and parse from background noise. In non-rodent species, applying techniques such as high-throughput ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing is problematic due to difficulty in isolating and analyzing individual endocrine cell populations. Herein, we exploited cell-specific properties inherent to the proximal promoter of the human glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit gene (CGA) to genetically target the expression of a fluorescent reporter (green fluorescent protein [GFP]) selectively to ovine gonadotropes. Dissociated ovine pituitary cells were cultured and infected with an adenoviral reporter vector (Ad-hαCGA-eGFP). We established efficient gene targeting by successfully enriching dispersed GFP-positive cells with flow cytometry. Confirming enrichment of gonadotropes specifically, we detected elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) but not thyrotropin-stimulating hormone (TSH) in GFP-positive cell populations compared to GFP-negative populations. Subsequently, we used next-generation sequencing to obtain the transcriptional profile of GFP-positive ovine gonadotropes in the presence or absence of estradiol 17-beta (E2), a key modulator of gonadotrope function. Compared to non-sorted cells, enriched GFP-positive cells revealed a distinct transcriptional profile consistent with established patterns of gonadotrope gene expression. Importantly, we also detected nearly 200 E2-responsive genes in enriched gonadotropes, which were not apparent in parallel experiments on non-enriched cell populations. From these data, we conclude that CGA-targeted adenoviral gene transfer is an effective means for selectively labeling and enriching ovine gonadotropes suitable for investigation by numerous experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilyara A Murtazina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Jeremy D Cantlon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Akash Shrestha
- Department of Computer Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jennifer A Hicks
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Christianne Magee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Kelly Kirkley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Kenneth Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Terry M Nett
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Hamidreza Chitsaz
- Department of Computer Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Colin M Clay
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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8
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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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9
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Childs GV, MacNicol AM, MacNicol MC. Molecular Mechanisms of Pituitary Cell Plasticity. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:656. [PMID: 33013715 PMCID: PMC7511515 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that mediate plasticity in pituitary function have long been a subject of vigorous investigation. Early studies overcame technical barriers and challenged conceptual barriers to identify multipotential and multihormonal cell populations that contribute to diverse pituitary stress responses. Decades of intensive study have challenged the standard model of dedicated, cell type-specific hormone production and have revealed the malleable cellular fates that mediate pituitary responses. Ongoing studies at all levels, from animal physiology to molecular analyses, are identifying the mechanisms underlying this cellular plasticity. This review describes the findings from these studies that utilized state-of-the-art tools and techniques to identify mechanisms of plasticity throughout the pituitary and focuses on the insights brought to our understanding of pituitary function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwen V Childs
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Angus M MacNicol
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Melanie C MacNicol
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
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10
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Ruf-Zamojski F, Ge Y, Pincas H, Shan J, Song Y, Hines N, Kelley K, Montagna C, Nair P, Toufaily C, Bernard DJ, Mellon PL, Nair V, Turgeon JL, Sealfon SC. Cytogenetic, Genomic, and Functional Characterization of Pituitary Gonadotrope Cell Lines. J Endocr Soc 2019; 3:902-920. [PMID: 31020055 PMCID: PMC6469952 DOI: 10.1210/js.2019-00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
LβT2 and αT3-1 are important, widely studied cell line models for the pituitary gonadotropes that were generated by targeted tumorigenesis in transgenic mice. LβT2 cells are more mature gonadotrope precursors than αT3-1 cells. Microsatellite authentication patterns, chromosomal characteristics, and their intercellular variation have not been reported. We performed microsatellite and cytogenetic analysis of both cell types at early passage numbers. Short tandem repeat (STR) profiling was consistent with a mixed C57BL/6J × BALB/cJ genetic background, with distinct patterns for each cell type. Spectral karyotyping in αT3-1 cells revealed cell-to-cell variation in chromosome composition and pseudodiploidy. In LβT2 cells, chromosome counting and karyotyping demonstrated pseudotriploidy and high chromosomal variation among cells. Chromosome copy number variation was confirmed by single-cell DNA sequencing. Chromosomal compositions were consistent with a male sex for αT3-1 and a female sex for LβT2 cells. Among LβT2 stocks used in multiple laboratories, we detected two genetically similar but distinguishable lines via STR authentication, LβT2a and LβT2b. The two lines differed in morphological appearance, with LβT2a having significantly smaller cell and nucleus areas. Analysis of immediate early gene and gonadotropin subunit gene expression revealed variations in basal expression and responses to continuous and pulsatile GnRH stimulation. LβT2a showed higher basal levels of Egr1, Fos, and Lhb but lower Fos induction. Fshb induction reached significance only in LβT2b cells. Our study highlights the heterogeneity in gonadotrope cell line genomes and provides reference STR authentication patterns that can be monitored to improve experimental reproducibility and facilitate comparisons of results within and across laboratories.
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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, New York, New York
| | - Yongchao Ge
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Hanna Pincas
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jidong Shan
- Molecular Cytogenetic Core, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Yinghui Song
- Molecular Cytogenetic Core, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Nika Hines
- Mouse Genetics and Gene Targeting CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Kevin Kelley
- Mouse Genetics and Gene Targeting CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Cristina Montagna
- Molecular Cytogenetic Core, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Pranav Nair
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Chirine Toufaily
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniel J Bernard
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pamela L Mellon
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Venugopalan Nair
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Judith L Turgeon
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Stuart C Sealfon
- Department of Neurology, Center for Advanced Research on Diagnostic Assays, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
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