bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of a recombinant DNA-derived ovine growth hormone variant internally labelled with sulphur-35
Authors: Wallis M , Gwilliam D J , Wallis O C 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
125I-Labelled polypeptide hormones have been extremely valuable for radioimmunoassays, receptor-binding studies and investigation of the processing and metabolism of hormones. However, such externally labelled material has the disadvantage that addition of one or more iodine atoms may alter the properties of the polypeptide. Furthermore, for studies on hormone metabolism and processing, the label may become separated from the hormone or its main breakdown products. Use of internally labelled polypeptides produced by biosynthesis can avoid such problems, but previously such material has usually been of low specific radioactivity, and unsuitable for many purposes. Here we describe the development of a procedure for the production of an internally labelled ovine GH analogue (oGH1) using a plasmid produced by recombinant DNA methods and expression in Escherichia coli.
Bacteria were grown in medium containing a low sulphate concentration, and then incubated in medium containing 35SO42− as the sole sulphur source. Under these conditions, the bacteria incorporated 35S into proteins including GH. Purification of such material required considerable modification of previously described methods, because of the need to handle very small amounts of highly radioactive material. The bacteria were lysed using lysozyme, and inclusion bodies were solubilized using 6 m guanidinium chloride. [35S]oGH1 was renatured and then purified by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-100, followed by immunoaffinity chromatography and a second gel filtration step. Material prepared in this way had a specific radioactivity of 6–27 μCi/μg, and showed high 'bind-ability' to polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies and to receptors. 35S-Labelled material bound to receptors more effectively than 125I-labelled GH and showed improved stability. Such material appears to be well suited to receptor-binding studies and studies on the processing and metabolism of GH. The procedure developed should be applicable to other polypeptide hormones.
Type-I insulin-like growth factor receptor gene expression in the chick. Developmental changes and the effect of selection for increased growth on the amount of receptor mRNA
Authors: Armstrong D G , Hogg C O 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
An RNase protection assay is described that allowed the quantitative analysis of chicken type-I IGF receptor mRNA transcripts. The transcripts were measured in extracts of total nucleic acid (TNA) and, under the hybridization conditions described, protected probes of the expected size were obtained. The RNA-RNA hybrids could be quantified in the presence of at least a 1000-fold molar excess of DNA containing sequences which were complimentary to the RNA probe. The amount of protected probe was linearly related to the amount of TNA in the hybridization reaction medium, and this allowed the results to be expressed in the form of mRNA molecules/cell.
Type-I IGF receptor mRNA transcripts were detected in all the tissues examined from a 20day-old chick embryo. Their amount ranged from 5 to 24 molecules/cell, in the order liver<breast muscle<leg muscle<heart<brain. The amount of receptor mRNA was 65- to 300-fold less than that of β-actin mRNA.
The quantity of type-I IGF receptor mRNA varied significantly throughout embryonic and post-hatch development. Maximum amounts were measured in 21-day-old embryos (a two- to fourfold increase relative to 16-day-old embryos). Thereafter the amount of receptor mRNA decreased, during the 4-week period after hatching, to levels which were significantly lower than that observed in 16-day-old embryos. Throughout the period of embryonic and post-hatch development described here the amount of β-actin mRNA remained constant, indicating that the changes in the quantity of receptor mRNA were due to specific mechanisms acting directly on the steady-state levels of type-I IGF receptor mRNA.
Selection for increased growth had no effect on the amount of type-I IGF receptor mRNA. The result was the same when expressed either as molecules/cell or as a percentage of β-actin mRNA.
Differential expression and hormonal regulation of alternatively spliced IGF-I mRNA transcripts in salmon
Authors: Duguay S J , Swanson P , Dickhoff W W 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Salmon have been shown to express alternatively spliced IGF-I mRNA transcripts coding for four different IGF-I prohormones. These transcripts, now designated Ea-1, Ea-2, Ea-3 and Ea-4, differ in size due to the inclusion of additional sequences in the E domain-coding region of the molecule. In this study, the tissue distribution and hormonal regulation of expression of alternatively spliced IGF-I mRNA transcripts were investigated in coho salmon. IGF-I mRNAs were detected by solution hybridization/RNase protection assay in all tissues examined. GH treatment significantly increased hepatic IGF-I mRNA content. Hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels were not influenced by prolactin or somatolactin. Heart, fat, brain, kidney, spleen and ovary IGF-I mRNA levels were not affected by GH, prolactin or somatolactin. Ea-1, Ea-3 and Ea-4 mRNA transcripts were detectable in the liver, and Ea-1 and Ea-3 levels increased dramatically in response to GH treatment, whereas the amount of Ea-4 mRNA was unchanged. Most non-hepatic tissues expressed only the Ea-4 transcript, and expression was not influenced by GH, prolactin or somatolactin. Ea-1 and Ea-3 transcripts were visible in gill samples from fish treated with GH. The ovaries of juvenile fish expressed Ea-1, Ea-2 and Ea-4. The amounts of these transcripts were not changed by gonadotrophin treatment. During smoltification of juvenile coho salmon, liver and gill IGF-I mRNA levels increased with increasing plasma GH and thyroxine concentrations. Muscle, brain and ovary IGF-I mRNA levels were unchanged during this period.
These data suggest that the liver is a major site of IGF-I production in response to GH. Heart, fat, brain, kidney, spleen and ovary did not show increased IGF-I mRNA levels in response to GH treatment. GH and prolactin had inconsistent effects on muscle IGF-I mRNA levels. Somatolactin and a gonadotrophin preparation did not stimulate IGF-I expression in tissues of juvenile fish. Differences in tissue GH responsiveness can be partially explained by the expression of alternatively spliced IGF-I mRNAs. Of the four hepatic IGF-I mRNA transcripts, Ea-1 and Ea-3 are GH-responsive, while Ea-2 and Ea-4 are not. Most non-hepatic tissues express only the Ea-4 transcript, and IGF-I mRNA levels do not increase after GH treatment. The increased IGF-I mRNA levels observed in gill tissue during smoltification suggest that other factors, in addition to GH, may regulate IGF-I expression. These data are also consistent with the hypothesis that IGF-I may mediate the osmoregulatory functions of GH during sea water adaptation.
Growth hormone (GH) regulation of a rat serine protease inhibitor fusion gene in cells transfected with GH receptor cDNA
Authors: Enberg B , Hulthén A , Möller C , Norstedt G , Francis S M 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The mechanism by which GH transmits a signal to the nucleus via its membrane-bound receptor is unknown. To study this process, Buffalo rat liver (BRL), rat hepatoma (FAO), human hepatoma (HepG2) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines were transfected with GH receptor cDNA, and stable clones expressing GH receptor mRNA and protein were selected. From previous in vivo studies it is known that GH regulates the expression of the rat hepatic serine protease inhibitor (SPI) 2.1 gene at the transcriptional level. However, in all the cell lines tested, SPI gene expression was less than 0·2% of that measured in rat liver, and GH did not affect the expression of the endogenous SPI gene in GH receptor-expressing cells.
A 45 bp GH-responsive element (GHRE) has previously been defined in the SPI 2.1 gene. A construct containing six repeats of this GHRE was assembled with the thymidine kinase promoter and a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene. Transient transfection of this reporter gene resulted in GH stimulation of CAT activity in all GH receptor-transfected cell lines. A 33-fold induction was measured in the GH receptor-expressing BRL cells. Induction of CAT activity was observed after 8 h of GH treatment in the BRL-GHR638 cell line. Stable BRL cell lines expressing GH receptors with carboxy-terminal truncations (GHR380 and GHR454) did not show increased CAT activity on GH stimulation. This suggests that more than half of the intracellular domain of the GH receptor is required to activate transcription of the SPI 2.1 gene.
It is concluded that the use of GH receptor-expressing cell lines in combination with the GH-regulated reporter system described here provides a good model for studying intracellular signalling after GH stimulation.
Expression and characterization of biologically active ovine FSH from mammalian cell lines
Authors: Mountford P S , Brandon M R , Adams T E 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Stably transfected cell lines expressing the α subunit, β subunit and α/β heterodimer of ovine (o)FSH have been established following the transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells with α and β subunit cDNA expression vectors. In the absence of the α subunit, FSH β subunit polypeptides were inefficiently secreted and displayed a short intracellular half-life, while free α subunits were readily secreted in the absence of the β subunit. Cotransfection of oFSH α and β subunit cDNAs led to heterodimer assembly and secretion. While alteration of the nucleotide sequence flanking the β subunit AUG initiation codon did not appreciably enhance heterodimer biosynthesis and secretion, the replacement of the 5′ untranslated and signal peptide-coding regions of the β subunit cDNA with the corresponding sequences from an oGH cDNA clone was associated with a twofold increase in oFSH heterodimer secretion. The recombinant oFSH had a higher molecular weight than pituitary-derived oFSH, and was more acidic than the native hormone when analysed using isoelectric focusing, suggesting a greater degree of sialylation of the recombinant hormone. A comparison of the activities of the recombinant and native hormones in the porcine testis radioreceptor assay and in the in vitro Sertoli cell bioassay revealed that the recombinant oFSH displayed enhanced biological activity in the Sertoli cell assay when compared with the native hormone.
Localization of oxytocin receptor mRNA in the ovine uterus during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy
Authors: Stevenson K R , Riley P R , Stewart H J , Flint A P F , Wathes D C 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
A synthetic 45-mer oligonucleotide corresponding to part of the ovine endometrial oxytocin receptor cDNA was hybridized to sections of ovine uterus collected from 40 ewes at different stages during the oestrous cycle, the first 3 weeks of pregnancy and seasonal anoestrus. The quantity of oxytocin receptor mRNA was measured as the optical density (OD) value on autoradiographs using image analysis. Message first appeared in the luminal epithelium on days 14–15 of the cycle, increasing to a peak OD of 0·48 at oestrus and decreasing again between days 2 and 5. Oxytocin receptor mRNA in the superficial glands, deep glands and caruncular stroma increased between day 15 and oestrus to peak OD values of 0·17, 0·11 and 0·11 respectively, declining again by day 2 and reaching basal values (OD<0·015) by day 5. Hybridization to the myometrium tended to rise from a mean OD value of 0·01 on days 2–15 to a peak of 0·03±0·01 (mean±s.e.m.) on days 0–1, but the change was not significant. In pregnant ewes there was no detectable oxytocin receptor mRNA on days 14–15 in any region, but hybridization to the luminal epithelium was present in two of three ewes on day 21. In anoestrous ewes oxytocin receptor mRNA concentrations in all areas of the endometrium were approximately half those measured at oestrus.
Optical density readings for oxytocin receptor mRNA in the various uterine compartments were compared with measurements of oxytocin receptors in the same regions as assessed by binding studies using the 125I-labelled oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Tyr-NH29]-vasotocin (125I-labelled OTA). In the endometrium, receptor mRNA and 125I-labelled OTA binding patterns changed in parallel, and both sets of measurements were significantly correlated (P<0·01). In the myometrium, a significant increase in 125I-labelled OTA binding occurred at oestrus; this was not accompanied by a similar increase in oxytocin receptor mRNA hybridization.
This study helps to confirm that the previously identified cDNA clone is derived from the ovine oxytocin receptor, as patterns of oxytocin receptor mRNA expression in the endometrium closely resembled those of oxytocin binding. Maximum expression and binding both occurred at oestrus, suggesting that regulation of the oxytocin receptor gene in the uterus occurs principally at the transcriptional, rather than at the translational, level. Failure to detect a significant increase in myometrial mRNA expression at oestrus may indicate that the endometrial and myometrial oxytocin receptors are of different isoforms.
Growth hormone gene structure in human pituitary somatotrophinomas: promoter region sequence and methylation studies
Authors: Hüttner A , Adams E F , Buchfelder M , Fahlbusch R 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The structure of the GH gene in human somatotrophinomas was examined in terms of promoter region sequence and degree of methylation. In six tumours, the promoter sequence did not differ from that observed in the corresponding genomic (white blood cell-derived) DNA, suggesting that it is unlikely that excessive GH production is due to a point mutation within this region. In contrast, Southern blot analysis using the methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes HpaII and HhaI revealed lower levels of methylation of the GH gene in somatotrophinomas when compared with that found in DNA derived from normal pituitary glands. We conclude that hypomethylation of the GH gene in human somatotrophinomas may play at least a partial role in excessive GH production.
Roles of type I and type II isoenzymes of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in steroidogenesis in rat adrenal cells
Authors: Whitehouse B J , Abayasekara D R E 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The role played by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinases (PKAs) in rat adrenal steroidogenesis has been investigated using cAMP analogues which show partial selectivity for the type I and type II PKA isoenzymes. These were aminohexylamino-cAMP (AHA-cAMP; selective for site 1 on type I PKA), N6-benzoyl-cAMP (BZ-cAMP; selective for site 2 on PKA types I and II) and 8-thiomethyl-cAMP (TM-cAMP; selective for site 1 on type II PKA). Positive cooperativity exists between the two nucleotide-binding sites, thus the presence of type I PKA was inferred when synergistic increases in corticosteroid production were obtained with AHA-cAMP plus BZ-cAMP and that of type II PKA when synergistic increases were obtained with TM-cAMP plus BZ-cAMP.
The effects of AHA-cAMP, TM-cAMP and BZ-cAMP (10–100 μmol/l) on aldosterone production by glomerulosa cell preparations and corticosterone production by fasciculata/reticularis cell preparations were compared. Dose-related stimulation of steroid production was obtained with each cAMP analogue in both types of cell preparation. Experiments were performed using the cAMP analogues in combination at doses which gave minimal stimulation individually. Cells were incubated with AHA-cAMP (66 and 100 μmol/l) or TM-cAMP (15, 30 and 45 μmol/l) in the presence and absence of 15μmol BZ-cAMP/l. Synergistic responses were obtained with both analogue pairs in both cell types. The synergism ratio in fasciculata/reticularis cell preparations for the type I PKA selective pair of analogues (100 μmol AHA-cAMP/l plus 15μmol BZ-cAMP/l) was significantly higher (P<0·01) than that for the type II selective pair (45μmol TM-cAMP/l plus 15μmol BZ-cAMP/l; 7·9±1·2 (mean±s.e.m.) and 2·6±0·3 respectively). In zona glomerulosa preparations the ratio was higher (P<0·05) for the type II selective pair (1·6±0·1 for AHA-cAMP plus BZ-cAMP and 2·8±0·4 for TM-cAMP plus BZ-cAMP).
The effects of 100μmol AHA-cAMP/l and 45μmol TM-cAMP/l on the response to ACTH (1 pmol/l–10 nmol/l) were examined. Synergistic responses were obtained in fasciculata/reticularis cells with both analogues in combination with low concentrations of ACTH (10 and 100 pmol/l). In zona glomerulosa cells only the addition of TM-cAMP (45 μmol/l) in combination with 10 pmol ACTH/1 gave rise to synergistic increases in aldosterone production, which suggests that there may be some compartmentalization of the cAMP-dependent pathway in these cells.
The results indicate that both isoenzymes of PKA are present in rat adrenocortical cells and can play a part in the control of steroidogenesis. Type I PKA activity appears dominant in the control of zona fasciculata/reticularis cell function whereas modulation of type II PKA activity plays a more significant role in the responses of zona glomerulosa cells.
Cloning and expression of a new member of the melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor family
Authors: Barrett P , MacDonald A , Helliwell R , Davidson G , Morgan P 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
A new member of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily has been isolated from an ovine genomic library with a probe generated by the application of the PCR technique, using cDNA synthesized on a mRNA template isolated from the ovine pars tuberalis. This genomic clone encodes a novel receptor of 325 amino acids with seven transmembrane domains. These domains share homology with other members of this family, but the best homology is with the recently cloned human MC-1 (50% in the transmembrane domains) and MC-3 (69% in the transmembrane domains) MSH receptors and the human ACTH (42% in the transmembrane domains) receptor. When this receptor was expressed in Cos7 cells, it was able to bind a potent analogue of α-MSH, [Nle4, d-Phe7]-α-MSH (NDP-MSH), with high affinity. This binding could be displaced by pro-opiomelanocortinderived and related peptides, with the order of potency NDP-MSH>α-MSH=ACTH>β-MSH and with no effect of γ-MSH, δ-MSH or β-endorphin. The expressed receptor was demonstrated to be functionally coupled to the adenylate cyclase second messenger pathway, with α-MSH, β-MSH and ACTH stimulating cyclic AMP production. The amount of the mRNA for this receptor was found to be very low. The tissue distribution of this receptor could only be observed using the reverse transcription-PCR technique and the receptor was found to be present in a number of somatic tissues. These data indicate that this is a new and distinct member of the melanocortin receptor family.
Mutation in the human gene for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II leading to male pseudohermaphroditism without salt loss
Authors: Russell A J , Wallace A M , Forest M G , Donaldson M D C , Edwards C R W , Sutcliffe R G 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
A 5-year-old XY pseudohermaphrodite was found to have a defect of steroid biosynthesis consistent with a partial deficiency of the enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD). Circulating concentrations of Δ5 steroids and Δ5 urinary steroid metabolites were elevated and remained elevated after orchidectomy. There was no evidence of salt loss, plasma renin being within normal limits, and no detectable glucocorticoid abnormality. The coding sequences of the genes for 3β-HSD types I and II were amplified by PCR and screened for mutations by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and manual and automatic DNA sequencing. A mutation in the gene for 3β-HSD type II was observed at codon 173 (CTA→CGA), leading in the affected patient to a homozygous substitution in which the leucine at residue 173 was altered to an arginine (L173R). The propositus's 2-year-old XX sister was also homozygous for L173R and showed the biochemical characteristics of partial 3β-HSD deficiency without clinical symptoms or signs. The mutation segregated as an autosomal recessive. Three related heterozygous adult females showed evidence of a small over-production of Δ5 steroids and steroid metabolites and a variable reduction in ovarian function. Concentrations of Δ5 steroids and steroid metabolites in the heterozygous father of the propositus were within the normal range.
These data are discussed in relation to the endocrine causes of pseudohermaphroditism and hirsutism. Evidence for tight linkage between the genes for 3β-HSD types I and II was obtained using a microsatellite polymorphism in the third intron of the gene for 3β-HSD type II and synonymous and non-synonymous mutations and polymorphisms in the gene for 3β-HSD type I. The latter polymorphisms were located 88 bp apart at the 3′ end of the type I coding sequence and could be physically resolved as haplotypes using DGGE. The application of DGGE to the analysis of mutations in members of a multigene family is discussed.
Are Vitellin and Vitellogenin Coded by One Gene in the Marine Shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus?
Authors: Khayat M , Lubzens E , Tietz A , Funkenstein B 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
A cDNA clone encoding a female-specific ovarian protein (presumably vitellin, Vt) has been isolated from a cDNA library prepared from poly (A)+ RNA extracted from vitellogenic ovaries of the shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus. The cDNA library was constructed and screened using a major cDNA band which was observed following analysis of total cDNA products by gel electrophoresis. This band, as well as the cDNA insert purified from the library, was estimated to have 1.1 kb. Both hybridized to mRNA prepared from ovaries or hepatopancreas (HEP) of vitellogenic females and showed a faint signal with ovaries from non-vitellogenic females, but did not hybridize to HEP from non-vitellogenic females or to HEP from males or testes. The size of the transcripts from the ovary and HEP was estimated to be 1.1 kb, similar to that of the cDNA insert, suggesting that a full length cDNA had been synthesized. Furthermore, the identical sizes of the transcripts from ovary and HEP and the ability of the ovarian cDNA to detect a transcript in HEP mRNA suggest that Vt from the ovary and vitellogenin (Vg) from HEP are the gene products of one gene. Alternatively, the homology between Vt and Vg is very high.
Localization of the human FSH receptor to chromosome 2 p21 using a genomic probe comprising exon 10
Authors: Gromoll J , Ried T , Holtgreve-Grez H , Nieschlag E , Gudermann T 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Screening of a human genomic library with a cDNA probe corresponding to the transmembrane domain of the FSH receptor (FSHR) resulted in the identification of a positive clone with a DNA insert of approximately 17·5 kb. Part of the clone encoded exon 10 of the FSHR gene. Sequence analysis of this exon revealed an open reading frame corresponding to base positions 855–2085 of the FSHR cDNA, thereby coding for 410 amino acids. Exon 10 was found to comprise the seven transmembrane domains, the C-terminal intracellular domain and a fragment of 81 amino acids belonging to the extracellular N-terminal domain of the FSHR. The exon/intron boundary is in phase 2 and the amino acid which resides in this junction is isoleucine. The genomic clone was used to map the chromosomal localization of the human FSHR gene. In situ hybridization experiments allowed the allocation of the human gene to chromosome 2 p21. As this position is identical to that of the human LH receptor gene, these two receptor genes may have evolved from a common ancestor.