Transcription of gonadotropin β subunit genes involves cross-talk between the transcription factors and co-regulators that mediate actions of the regulatory hormones

Gonadotrope-specific Deletion of Dicer Results in Severely Suppressed Gonadotropins and Fertility Defects

“…A combinatorial action of several activators and repressors is required for transcription of gonadotrope subunit-encoding genes (10,12,15). Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) is an orphan nuclear receptor protein activator that is required for transcription of gonadotropin subunits in vivo (16).…”

Dioxin Silences Gonadotropin Expression in Perinatal Pups by Inducing Histone Deacetylases

“…It has been suggested that HDAC plays an important role as a transcriptional repressor for gonadotropin ␤-subunits (19,32,33). In agreement with this, TCDD markedly deacetylated histones H3 and H4 twined around the promoter of the fetal LH␤ gene, but not the promoters of other pituitary hormone genes (FSH␤, ␣GSU, TSH␤, and GH).…”

“…4 -6) were also obtained from different dams treated with TCDD at GD15. family, and plays a critical role together with GnRH in the production and secretion of FSH (19,(35)(36)(37). It is known that activin activates SMAD proteins, a family of transcription factors enhancing FSH␤ transcription (35,36)(the term SMAD comes from a combination of MAD: mothers against decapentaplegic (Drosophila protein) and SMA (Caenorhabditis elegans protein)).…”

“…The synthesis of gonadotropin subunits in the anterior pituitary is mainly stimulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secreted from neurons which extend to the pituitary by way of the hypothalamus (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). GnRH binds to its specific receptor on the membrane of pituitary gonadotropes, and activates several signaling pathways involving PKC, PKA, MAPKs, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (16).…”

“…GnRH binds to its specific receptor on the membrane of pituitary gonadotropes, and activates several signaling pathways involving PKC, PKA, MAPKs, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (16). The activated kinases modulate the action of transcription factors and repressors located downstream to regulate the expression of gonadotropins in a subunit-specific manner (17)(18)(19). Our recent study has suggested that TCDD suppresses GnRH-mediated PKC and PKA and/or their downstream mechanisms in cultivated fetal pituitary to attenuate gonadotropin synthesis (20).…”