| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Submitted on August 13, 2003
Accepted on September 15, 2003
and FSH gene transcription by androgens: Testosterone directly stimulates FSH transcription independent from its role on follistatin gene expression
1 Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, and the Center for Research in Reproduction. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lburger{at}virginia.edu.
The gonadotropin 
-subunit mRNAs are differentially regulated by androgens. Testosterone (T) suppresses LH and increases FSH. We aimed to determine if androgens regulate LH and FSH transcription (as measured by changes in primary transcripts, PT) and to determine if androgens act directly on FSH or via the intrapituitary activin/follistatin (FS) system. In castrate+GnRH antagonist treated rats, T increased FSH PT between 3 h and 48 h. In contrast, T suppressed LH PT. The increases in FSH mRNA and PT were associated with reduced FS mRNA. Activin B mRNA was modestly suppressed. The increase in FSH PT after T was androgen specific. Both T and DHT increased FSH PT 2-fold, and decreased both FS and B mRNA. Estradiol suppressed FSH PT 3-fold and had no effect on FS or B mRNAs. LH PT was suppressed by DHT. To determine if T stimulation of FSH PT reflected a decrease in pituitary FS, we gave androgen in the presence of exogenous FS in vitro. T and DHT increased FSH PT 2- to 3-fold. FS alone decreased FSH PT 40%, but did not diminish the increase FSH PT in response to T. Testosterone, DHT, and FS did not affect FS mRNA, B mRNA, or LH PT. In conclusion, androgens acting directly on the pituitary increase FSH and decrease LH transcription. The increase in FSH PT in response to T was androgen specific, and occurs in the presence of excess FS, suggesting that T stimulates FSH transcription independently of modulation of FS.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  N. Pitteloud, A. A. Dwyer, S. DeCruz, H. Lee, P. A. Boepple, W. F. Crowley Jr., and F. J. Hayes The Relative Role of Gonadal Sex Steroids and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Pulse Frequency in the Regulation of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Secretion in Men J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2008; 93(7): 2686 - 2692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. G. Thackray and P. L. Mellon Synergistic Induction of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone {beta}-Subunit Gene Expression by Gonadal Steroid Hormone Receptors and Smad Proteins Endocrinology, March 1, 2008; 149(3): 1091 - 1102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. A Ferris, H. E Walsh, J. Stevens, P. C Fallest, and M. A Shupnik Luteinizing Hormone Beta Promoter Stimulation by Adenylyl Cyclase and Cooperation with Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone 1 in Transgenic Mice and LBetaT2 Cells Biol Reprod, December 1, 2007; 77(6): 1073 - 1080. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. L. Burger, D. J. Haisenleder, G. M. Wotton, K. W. Aylor, A. C. Dalkin, and J. C. Marshall The regulation of FSHbeta transcription by gonadal steroids: testosterone and estradiol modulation of the activin intracellular signaling pathway Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2007; 293(1): E277 - E285. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. G. Thackray, S. M. McGillivray, and P. L. Mellon Androgens, Progestins, and Glucocorticoids Induce Follicle-Stimulating Hormone {beta}-Subunit Gene Expression at the Level of the Gonadotrope Mol. Endocrinol., September 1, 2006; 20(9): 2062 - 2079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Iype, J. Francis, J. C. Garmey, J. C. Schisler, R. Nesher, G. C. Weir, T. C. Becker, C. B. Newgard, S. C. Griffen, and R. G. Mirmira Mechanism of insulin Gene Regulation by the Pancreatic Transcription Factor Pdx-1: APPLICATION OF PRE-mRNA ANALYSIS AND CHROMATIN IMMUNOPRECIPITATION TO ASSESS FORMATION OF FUNCTIONAL TRANSCRIPTIONAL COMPLEXES J. Biol. Chem., April 29, 2005; 280(17): 16798 - 16807. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D.J. Haisenleder, L.L. Burger, K.W. Aylor, A.C. Dalkin, H.E. Walsh, M.A. Shupnik, and J.C. Marshall Testosterone Stimulates Follicle-Stimulating Hormone {beta} Transcription via Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase: Evidence in Rat Pituitary Cells Biol Reprod, March 1, 2005; 72(3): 523 - 529. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L L Burger, D J Haisenleder, A C Dalkin, and J C Marshall Regulation of gonadotropin subunit gene transcription J. Mol. Endocrinol., December 1, 2004; 33(3): 559 - 584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. J Winters and J. P Moore Intra-pituitary regulation of gonadotrophs in male rodents and primates Reproduction, July 1, 2004; 128(1): 13 - 23. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |
