Transcriptional regulation of thyroid-stimulating hormone gene expression in CHP2 human thyrotrope cell line

• Project/Area Number: 11671084
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Endocrinology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: IWASAKI Yasumasa School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 講師 (30303613)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 森下 美奈子 名古屋大学, 医学部, 医員
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2000
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2000)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000); Fiscal Year 2000: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000); Fiscal Year 1999: ¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000)
• Keywords: thyroid-stimulating hormone / pituitary / transcription / TSH / 遺伝子発現 / ホルモン / 転写因子 / 甲状腺

Research Abstract

CHP2 is a recently established clonal cell derived from human anterior pituitary gland. In this study, we examined whether this cell line has the characteristic of thyrotroph cells. First, we analyzed the TSH-related gene expression using RT-PCR, the results showing that TSH α-subunit, thyroid hormone receptor β2, and transcription factor GATA2 were shown to be expressed. Furthermore, TSH α-subunit gene 5'-promoter-luciferase fusion gene introduced into CHP2 cells showed substantial transcriptional activity, which was responsive to cAMP/protein kinase A.On the other hand, Pit-1 and TSH β-subunit gene expression was not detected, and introduced TSH β-subunit gene promoter showed no promoter activity as well. Altogether, our results suggest that CHP2 cell line basically has the property of glycoprotein hormone-producing cells, although not enough to maintain the characteristics of thyrotroph cells.