Endocrine Abstracts

Circulating levels of prolactin are subject to acute and long-term regulation by many factors including oestrogen and dopamine. We have studied the regulation of prolactin promoter activity in living pituitary cells using transgenic Fischer rats in which reporter gene expression is regulated by the human prolactin gene locus (hPRL-d2EGFP). We have previously identified pulsatile prolactin transcription patterns in living lactotroph cells in fetal tissue, that became stabilised...

Glucocorticoids (Gcs) act via the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to regulate cellular homeostasis. GR is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates effects within the nucleus or cytoplasm to regulate genomic and non-genomic events. Localisation of the GR to a specific cellular compartment is therefore an important determinant of the cellular response to Gcs.Live cell imaging of GR trafficking using fluorophore-tagged GR shows drama...

The actions of glucocorticoids (Gc) are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Several isoforms of the GR exist. Whilst GR alpha is the most abundant isoform, constitutive alternative splicing at the exon 3/exon 4 boundary results in an additional arginine within the DNA binding domain to produce the gamma isoform. Although GR gamma comprises 4–8% of total GR transcripts and is highly conserved through mammalian evolution, its biological function remains unknown.</...

Glucocorticoids (Gcs) act via the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to regulate cellular homeostasis. Previous studies have demonstrated altered Gc sensitivity during mitosis. This reduced sensitivity can be explained only in part through the selective export of GR in mitotic cell populations. In this study ligand-independent, cell cycle-dependent effects on GR have been explored.Mitotic cells show a marked increase in ligand-independent ser211 ...

The neuroendocrine and immune systems are closely linked, and cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), secreted by immune cells or neighbouring pituicytes, may have important local effects on pituitary function to modulate endocrine mechanisms of regulation.We have analysed the transcriptional regulation of the human prolactin (hPRL) gene promoter by TNF-alpha. Using stably transfected GH3 cells expressing luciferase und...