Endocrinology, Vol 137, 4878-4885, Copyright © 1996 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

The decidual prolactin receptor and its regulation by decidua-derived factors

Y Gu, RK Srivastava, DL Clarke, DI Linzer and G Gibori
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612-7342, USA.

Decidualization of the endometrial stroma in the rat gives rise to two different cell populations, located either mesometrially or antimesometrially in the uterus. We have previously shown that the rat decidua is the site of production and action of a PRL-like hormone. In this investigation we examined, using reverse transcription-PCR, whether and which type of PRL receptor (PRL-R) messenger RNA (mRNA) is expressed in the decidua, whether the receptor is confined only to one cell population, and whether the PRL-R expression is regulated by decidua-derived factors. The results indicate that the uterus of pseudopregnant rats does not express the PRL-R and that decidualization does not trigger a rapid appearance of PRL-R mRNA. It is only 3 days after the induction of decidualization that the long form of the PRL-R was first expressed. Thereafter, mRNAs for both the short (PRL-RS) and the long (PRL-RL) form became detectable in both antimesometrial and mesometrial decidua, although PRL-RL mRNA was much more abundant than PRL-RS. As development proceeded, PRL-R mRNA decreased and disappeared specifically from the antimesometrial decidua, whereas the mesometrial decidua continued to express this receptor mRNA. Concomitant with down- regulation of the PRL-R in the antimesometrial tissue was a rather abrupt expression of activin A. In contrast, the mesometrial tissue that maintained high levels of PRL-R mRNA expressed little activin A, but produced an activin-binding protein, alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)MG). To determine whether activin A and alpha(2)MG regulate PRL-R expression, antimesometrial and mesometrial cells were separated by elutriation and maintained in culture in the presence or absence of activin A, alpha(2)MG, or follistatin. Just after cell separation, both cell populations expressed PRL-R, but not activin A. Within 6 h, activin A mRNA and protein became highly expressed in the mesometrial cells, whereas PRL-RL mRNA became undetectable. In contrast, activin A mRNA was at very low levels in the antimesometrial cells, and no activin A protein could be detected in the medium for at least 12 h. In these cells PRL-RL mRNA remained elevated. Addition of activin A to antimesometrial cells caused a marked down-regulation of PRL-RL mRNA expression, whereas addition of alpha(2)MG and follistatin to mesometrial cells prevented the disappearance of PRL-R. In summary, the results of this investigation 1) indicate that decidualization of the endometrial stroma induces the appearance of both forms of the PRL-R mRNAs; 2) show differential expression of the PRL-R mRNA in the two- cell population forming the decidua; 3) establish that this differential expression is due to two key decidual molecules, activin A and alpha(2) macroglobulin; and 4) demonstrate that activin A can cause the decidual cells to lose the PRL-R and that the disappearance of the decidual PRL-R can be prevented by addition to the culture of two activin binding proteins, follistatin and alpha(2) MG.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Bao, C. Tessier, A. Prigent-Tessier, F. Li, O. L. Buzzio, E. A. Callegari, N. D. Horseman, and G. Gibori Decidual Prolactin Silences the Expression of Genes Detrimental to Pregnancy Endocrinology, May 1, 2007; 148(5): 2326 - 2334. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bachelot and N. Binart Reproductive role of prolactin Reproduction, February 1, 2007; 133(2): 361 - 369. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Bao, S. Devi, J. Bowen-Shauver, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, L. Robb, and G. Gibori The Role of Interleukin-11 in Pregnancy Involves Up-Regulation of {alpha}2-Macroglobulin Gene through Janus Kinase 2-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Pathway in the Decidua Mol. Endocrinol., December 1, 2006; 20(12): 3240 - 3250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Tessier, A. Prigent-Tessier, L. Bao, C. M. Telleria, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, G. B. Gibori, Y. Gu, J. M. Bowen-Shauver, N. D. Horseman, and G. Gibori Decidual Activin: Its Role In the Apoptotic Process and Its Regulation by Prolactin Biol Reprod, May 1, 2003; 68(5): 1687 - 1694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Tessier, A. Prigent-Tessier, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, Y. Gu, and G. Gibori PRL Antiapoptotic Effect in the Rat Decidua Involves the PI3K/Protein Kinase B-Mediated Inhibition of Caspase-3 Activity Endocrinology, September 1, 2001; 142(9): 4086 - 4094. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-C. Keith Ho, K. E. McGrath, K. C. Brodbeck, J. Palis, and B. P. Schick Serglycin Proteoglycan Synthesis in the Murine Uterine Decidua and Early Embryo Biol Reprod, June 1, 2001; 64(6): 1667 - 1676. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Prigent-Tessier, U. Barkai, C. Tessier, H. Cohen, and G. Gibori Characterization of a Rat Uterine Cell Line, UIII Cells: Prolactin (PRL) Expression and Endogenous Regulation of PRL-Dependent Genes; Estrogen Receptor {{beta}}, {{alpha}}2-Macroglobulin, and Decidual PRL Involving the Jak2 and Stat5 Pathway Endocrinology, March 1, 2001; 142(3): 1242 - 1250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Tessier, S. Deb, A. Prigent-Tessier, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, G. B. Gibori, R. P. C. Shiu, and G. Gibori Estrogen Receptors {alpha} and {beta} in Rat Decidua Cells: Cell-Specific Expression and Differential Regulation by Steroid Hormones and Prolactin Endocrinology, October 1, 2000; 141(10): 3842 - 3851. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Freeman, B. Kanyicska, A. Lerant, and G. Nagy Prolactin: Structure, Function, and Regulation of Secretion Physiol Rev, October 1, 2000; 80(4): 1523 - 1631. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Reese, N. Binart, N. Brown, W.-g. Ma, B. C. Paria, S. K. Das, P. A. Kelly, and S. K. Dey Implantation and Decidualization Defects in Prolactin Receptor (PRLR)-Deficient Mice Are Mediated by Ovarian But Not Uterine PRLR Endocrinology, May 1, 2000; 141(5): 1872 - 1881. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. Barkai, A. Prigent-Tessier, C. Tessier, G. B. Gibori, and G. Gibori Involvement of SOCS-1, the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling, in the Prevention of Prolactin-Responsive Gene Expression in Decidual Cells Mol. Endocrinol., April 1, 2000; 14(4): 554 - 563. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Prigent-Tessier, C. Tessier, M. Hirosawa-Takamori, C. Boyer, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, and G. Gibori Rat Decidual Prolactin. IDENTIFICATION, MOLECULAR CLONING, AND CHARACTERIZATION J. Biol. Chem., December 31, 1999; 274(53): 37982 - 37989. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Deb, C. Tessier, A. Prigent-Tessier, U. Barkai, S. Ferguson-Gottschall, R. K. Srivastava, J. Faliszek, and G. Gibori The Expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 Receptor, and gp130-Kilodalton Glycoprotein in the Rat Decidua and a Decidual Cell Line: Regulation by 17{beta}-Estradiol and Prolactin Endocrinology, October 1, 1999; 140(10): 4442 - 4450. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. Frasor, C. A. Gaspar, K. M. Donnelly, G. Gibori, and A. T. Fazleabas Expression of Prolactin and Its Receptor in the Baboon Uterus during the Menstrual Cycle and Pregnancy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 1999; 84(9): 3344 - 3350. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Sugino, M. Zilberstein, R. K. Srivastava, C. M. Telleria, S. E. Nelson, M. Risk, J. Y. Chou, and G. Gibori Establishment and Characterization of a Simian Virus 40-Transformed Temperature-Sensitive Rat Luteal Cell Line Endocrinology, April 1, 1998; 139(4): 1936 - 1942. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Ma, M. Roth, J. Groskopf, F. Tsai, S. Orkin, F Grosveld, J. Engel, and D. Linzer GATA-2 and GATA-3 regulate trophoblast-specific gene expression in vivo Development, January 2, 1997; 124(4): 907 - 914. [Abstract] [PDF]