No description available.

The purpose of this research is, first, to determine by laboratory methods, that species specificity does not exist in closely allied taxonomic animals; second, to determine a unit of activity for the gonadotropic hormone. For this purpose a quantitative method for determining potency is necessary to ascertain the seasonal production of the gonadotropic factor in fish. A further aim in this investigation is to demonstrate that the diversity of the gonadotropic factor, in relation to phylogenetic variations, is not as ineffectual as previously reported.

O biglicam é um proteoglicano é altamente expresso em células trofoblásticas de patologias placentárias com invasividade exacerbada. No entanto, as funções do biglicam no trofoblasto ainda não foram elucidadas. Sendo assim, verificamos a expressão e as funções de biglicam e seus receptores Toll-like (TLR)-2 e TLR-4 nas células trofoblásticas durante a gestação. As células do citotrofoblasto extraviloso (CTEV) foram positivas para todas as moléculas, menos para o biglicam em placentas a termo. Adição exógena de biglicam promoveu migração e invasão das células trofoblásticas. O biglicam estimulou a fosforilação de AKT nos sítios Thr308 e Ser473 nas células trofoblásticas. A migração e a invasão biglicam-dependentes e as fosforilações de AKT foram inibidas após a adição de anticorpos bloqueadores anti-TLR-2 e anti-TLR-4. O silenciamento gênico de AKT1 em células SGHPL-5 aboliu os efeitos do biglicam na motilidade. Em conclusão, o biglicam aumenta a motilidade de células trofoblásticas após sinalização por AKT através da ativação de TLR-2 e TLR-4. / Biglycan is a highly expressed proteoglycan in trophoblast cells from invasiveness-changed placental pathologies. However, biglycan functions in the trophoblast were not yet identified. Therefore, it was verified the expression and functions of biglycan and its receptors Toll-like (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 in trophoblast cells throughout pregnancy. The extravillous cytotrophoblast cells (EVT) were positive to all the molecules, although biglycan was negative in term placentas. Exogenous biglycan promoted migration and invasion of trophoblast cells. Biglycan stimulated AKT phosphorilation at Thr308 and Ser473 sites in trophoblast cells. The biglycan-dependent migration, invasion and AKT phosphorilation were inhibited upon addiction of anti-TLR-2 and anti-TLR-4 blocking antibodies. AKT1 genic silencing in SGHPL-5 cells abolished the motility effects. In conclusion, biglycan increases the motility of trophoblast cells after AKT signaliing throughout TLR-2 and TLR-4 activation.

The hypothalamic hormones, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), play pivotal roles in the growth and sexual maturation of chickens. In chickens, TRH regulates the release and synthesis of thyrotrophin (TSH) and also acts as a growth hormone-releasing factor. GnRH stimulates the release and synthesis of gonadotrophins (LH and FSH). TRH and GnRH are released and stored in the median eminence, and both hormones are transported into the pituitary gland via the hypophysial portal circulation. TRH and GnRH exert their physiological functions by binding to their specific receptors (TRH receptor and GnRH receptor, respectively) on the surface of cells in the pituitary gland. The activated receptors couple to guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins), Gq and/or G11, which in turn triggers the secondary messenger [1,2- diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositoltrisphosphate (IP3)] signalling cascade. The signalling generates the physiological effects of the hormones. The TRH-R and GnRH-R are members of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) family. The objective of this thesis was to clone and characterise the chicken TRH and GnRH receptors as useful tools for investigating the regulatory roles of TRH and GnRH receptors in the growth and sexual maturation of chickens. In addition, sequence information of the receptors would potentially assist in elucidating the binding sites and the molecular nature of the processes involved in receptor activation.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(薬科学) / 甲第18929号 / 薬科博第43号 / 新制||薬||5(附属図書館) / 31880 / 京都大学大学院薬学研究科医薬創成情報科学専攻 / (主査)教授 大野 浩章, 教授 高須 清誠, 教授 竹本 佳司 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第20613号 / 医博第4262号 / 新制||医||1023(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 小川 修, 教授 篠原 隆司, 教授 近藤 玄 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

Le RFRP est une neuropeptide impliqué dans la régulation de l’axe reproducteur, mais ses effets varient en fonction du sexe et des espèces. Le but de cette étude était de décrire en détails l’organisation du système RFRP et de caractériser son rôle dans le contrôle circadien et saisonnier de l’axe reproducteur de hamsters femelles. Les résultats montrent que le système RFRP est régulé par la photopériode et que son niveau d’expression est plus élevé chez les femelles que chez les mâles. Cela se traduit par des actions spécifiques sur l’axe gonadotrope femelle. En effet, L’activité des neurones à RFRP est diminuée au moment du pic pré-ovulatoire de LH et des injections centrales de RFRP-3 dans l’heure qui précède le pic de LH induisent une diminution de l’amplitude de la sécrétion de LH, démontrant une implication du RFRP dans la régulation circadienne du pic pré-ovulatoire de LH. Par ailleurs, des infusions chroniques de RFRP-3 chez des hamsters femelles sexuellement inactifs sont capables de réactiver le fonctionnement de l‘axe reproducteur, ce qui montre que le RFRP a un également un rôle régulateur essentiel dans le contrôle saisonnier de la reproduction. / RFRP neurons regulate the reproductive axis, however, their effects depend on species and sex. Here, we aimed at providing a neuroanatomical description of the RFRP system in the Syrian hamster and at investigating the role of RFRP in the daily and seasonal control of female reproduction. We show that besides being regulated by annual changes in photoperiod, the RFRP system is more strongly expressed in females than in males. In line with this, we unveil that RFRP has multiple roles in regulating female reproduction. RFRP neuronal activity is specifically reduced at the time of the pre-ovulatory LH surge and central RFRP-3 administration prior to the surge decreases LH peak levels, altogether pointing towards a daily down-regulation of the inhibitory RFRP signal necessary for proper generation of the LH surge. Moreover, chronic RFRP-3 infusion in sexually inactive females, with endogenous low RFRP expression, completely reactivates the reproductive axis. Taken together, we demonstrate that RFRP is a key component in the seasonal control of reproduction while at the same time specifically regulating cyclic events controlling reproductive activity in females.

by Lau Hoi Lun. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-96). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Abbreviations --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Endocrine control of normal and abnormal growth of prostate --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Androgen regulation of prostate gland --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Estrogen regulation of prostate gland --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone plays a central role in reproduction --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- GnRH gene --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- GnRH receptor --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Therapeutic strategies using GnRH analogs to treat prostate cancer --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4 --- Expression of GnRH or its receptor in reproductive tissues --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Expression of GnRH in reproductive --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Expression of GnRH and its receptor in pituitary and reproductive tissues --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5 --- Animal models for the study of prostate cancer --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Nobel rat inducible model --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Androgen dependent rat Dunning prostatic tumor --- p.16 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma line of Noble rat --- p.18 / Chapter 1.6 --- Aim of study --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods / Chapter 2.1 --- Origin and supply of Nobel rat --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2 --- Induction of dysplasia in Nobel rat prostate gland by long-term treatment with steroids --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Chemicals --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Preparation of steroid hormone-filled Silastic tubings --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Surgical implantation of Silastic® tubings --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Protocols of hormonal treatments --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3 --- Androgen- dependent Dunning rat prostatic adenocarcinoma --- p.22 / Chapter 2.4 --- Androgen- independent prostatic carcinoma line (ALT) of Noble rat --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5 --- Detection of mRNA expression of gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) in normal and neoplastic rat prostates --- p.23 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Preparation of tissue for total RNA extraction --- p.23 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Total RNA extraction --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Reverse-transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.25 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Purification of DNA fragments from agarose gels --- p.27 / Chapter 2.5.5 --- Subcloning of DNA into vector --- p.27 / Chapter 2.5.6 --- Nucleotide sequencing --- p.30 / Chapter 2.5.7 --- Southern blot analysis --- p.32 / Chapter 2.5.7.1 --- Southern blotting --- p.32 / Chapter 2.5.7.2 --- Preparation of α-32P-dCTP labelled GnRH probe --- p.32 / Chapter 2.5.7.3 --- Hybridization --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- Detection of mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) in normal and neoplastic rat prostates --- p.34 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Cloning of GnRH-R cDNA and synthesis of its probe --- p.34 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Detection of GnRH receptor mRNA expression in normal and dysplastic Nobel rat prostates by Southern blot --- p.36 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Detection of GnRH receptor mRNA expression in Dunning tumor --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- Detection of the GnRH receptor mRNA expression in AIT tumor by RT-PCR --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Results / Chapter 3.1 --- Detection of mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in normal and neoplastic rat prostates --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Reverse -transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Purification of DNA fragments amplified by PCR from the agarose gel --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Subcloning of DNA into vector --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Nucleotide sequencing --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Southern-blot analysis --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2 --- Detection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression in normal and neoplastic rat prostates --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Cloning of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH) cDNA and synthesis of probe from the normal Noble rat pituitary gland --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Detection of GnRH receptor mRNA expression in normal and dysplastic Nobel rat prostates --- p.42 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Detection of GnRH receptor mRNA expression in rat Dunning tumor by PCR --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Detection of GnRH receptor mRNA expression in AIT tumor --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Discussion / Chapter 4.1 --- Detection of mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing releasing hormone(GnRH) in normal and neoplastic rat prostates --- p.69 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Expression of GnRH mRNA in normal Nobel rat prostate gland --- p.69 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Expression of GnRH mRNA in dysplastic Nobel rat prostate --- p.71 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Expression of GnRH mRNA in androgen-dependent rat Dunning prostatic tumor --- p.72 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Expression of GnRH mRNA in AIT tumor --- p.74 / Chapter 4.2 --- Detection of GnRH receptor in normal and dysplastic rat prostates --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Negative expression of GnRH receptor in normal and dysplastic Nobel in rat prostates --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Positive expression of GnRH receptor mRNA in rat Dunning tumor --- p.77 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Negative expression of GnRH receptor mRNA in ALT tumor --- p.78 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Summary and Conclusions --- p.80 / References --- p.83

L’hormone anti-Müllerienne (AMH), une glycopréotéine exclusivement produite par les cellules de la granulosa (CG) des follicules ovariens de la femme, est un marqueur unique de du statut folliculaire ovarien. Contrairement à l’inhibine B, l’estradiol et la FSH, l’AMH est produite par un large éventail de follicules allant des follicules primaires aux follicules à petit antrum. Cependant, les mécanismes précis régulant la production d’AMH par les CG restent mal connus. Nous avons montré que la sélection folliculaire précoce au cours de la phase de transition lutéo-folliculaire, un phénomène fréquemment retrouvé chez les femmes ayant un vieillissement ovarien, caractérisé par la présence d’au moins un follicule surdéveloppé au cours de la phase folliculaire précoce, n’altérait pas la puissance de la relation entre le compte folliculaire antral et les concentrations sériques d’AMH. En revanche, cette situation perturbait significativement celle entre le nombre de follicules antraux et les taux sériques de FSH, d’inhibine B et d’estradiol. Nous avons par la suite mis en évidence, en utilisant un nouvel outil, nommé Follicular Output RaTe (FORT), que le pourcentage de follicules qui répondent effectivement à la FSH exogène en atteignant la maturation pré-ovulatoire, était négativement et indépendamment lié aux taux sériques d’AMH, ce qui va dans le sens de l’hypothèse d’un effet inhibiteur de l’AMH sur la sensibilité des follicules à la FSH. Ensuite, nous avons regardé si la production d’AMH par ovaire et par follicule était altérée chez les femmes n’ayant plus qu’un seul ovaire suite à une ovariecomie unilatérale. En effet, tout indique que chez ces femmes, des réarrangements majeurs de la folliculogenèse sont mis en place pour maintenir une fonction ovarienne malgré la perte brutale d’une partie du pool folliculaire. Ainsi, par une analyse extensive et comparative de la folliculogenèse utilisant des marqueurs hormono-folliculiares, nous n’avons pu mettre aucune modification significative chez les femmes avec un ovaire unique, comparativement aux contrôles. A l’aide du modèle précédemment utilisé, nous avons constaté une augmentation de la sensibilité des follicules antraux à la FSH exogène, évaluée par le FORT, chez des femmes avec un seul ovaire, comparativement aux femmes avec 2 ovaires. Ces résultats supportent l’hypothèse d’une augmentation de la sensibilité folliculaire à la FSH, qui pourrait faire partie des possibles mécanismes compensatoires en jeu dans le maintien d’une folliculogenèse efficace chez les femmes ayant eu une ovariectomie unilatérale.Finalement, à l’aide de 2 approches complémentaires, in vitro and in vivo, nous avons montré que la FSH et l’AMPc stimulaient la transcription de l’AMH, et que la LH avait un effet additif. Nous avons montré que les gonadotrophines et l’AMPc agissaient à travers la protéine kinase A et la P38 MAP Kinase, impliquant notamment les facteurs de transcription GATA binding factor-4 et le steroidogenic factor-1. Par ailleurs, nous avons également mis en évidence que l’expression d’AMH pouvait être régulée de manière différentielle par l’estradiol, en fonction du type de récepteur aux estrogènes exprimés par les CG. Ainsi, la chute d’expression de l’AMH au sein des CG des follicules matures, qui expriment essentiellement ERβ, est probablement liée à un effet de l’estradiol. En résumé, ces travaux de thèse ont permis d’apporter de nouvelles données sur la régulation de la croissance folliculaire et sur la production d’AMH chez la femme. / Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a glycoprotein that is exclusively produced by the granulosa cells (GC) of ovarian follicles in the adult female, is a unique biomarker of ovarian follicular status. In contrast with inhibin B, estradiol and FSH, AMH is produced in a wide range of follicles that goes from the primary to the small antral stages of folliculogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms that drive AMH expression by GC remain poorly understood.We showed that untimely and/or accelerated antral follicle growth during the luteal–follicular transition, a phenomenon that is frequent in ovarian-aged women and that is characterized by the presence of at least one overdeveloped antral follicle during the first days of the follicular phase does not alter the strength of the relationship between antral follicle count and serum AMH levels but does affect the relationship between serum FSH, inhibin B and estradiol levels and the number of antral follicles. The heftiness of AMH in relation to advanced antral follicle growth provides a further explanation for the reported stronger association between serum AMH levels and antral follicle counts as compared with the other hormonal markers of the ovarian fertility status. We subsequently demonstrated, using an innovative tool, the Follicular Output RaTe (FORT), that the percentage of follicles that effectively respond to exogenous FSH by reaching pre-ovulatory maturation is negatively and independently related to serum AMH levels, which is in keeping with the hypothesis that AMH inhibits follicle sensitivity to FSH. Given this hypothesis, we wondered if per-ovary and per-follicle AMH production could be altered in patients having a single ovary as a result of unilateral oophorectomy. Indeed, all indicate that major rearrangements of folliculogenesis occur to preserve and maintain ovarian function despite the abrupt halving of follicular stockpile in these patients. We performed an extensive and comparative evaluation of the folliculogenesis using homono-follicular markers failing to show major changes in unilaterally oophorectomized when compared with control women. Using the same model, we demonstrated an increased antral follicle responsiveness to exogenous FSH, as assessed by FORT, in normo-ovulating unilaterally oophorectomized women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. These results support the hypothesis that increased FSH sensitivity ranks among the possible compensating mechanisms at stake in the maintenance of successful folliculogenesis after unilateral oophorectomy.Finally, using complementary approaches, in vitro and in vivo, we showed that FSH and cAMP enhance AMH transcription, and LH has an additive effect. Gonadotropins and cAMP act through protein kinase A and p38 MAPK signaling pathways and involve the GATA binding factor-4 and steroidogenic factor-1 transcription factors, among others. The expression profile of AMH and the dynamics of serum AMH after gonadotropin stimulation have been interpreted as a down-regulating effect of FSH upon AMH production by GC. We also demonstrated that AMH expression can be differentially regulated by estradiol depending on the estradiol receptors by GC. Therefore the decrease in AMH expression by GC of mature follicles, which mainly express ERβ, is likely due to the effect of estradiol.In short, this Ph.D. work offers new insight into the regulation of the follicular growth and AMH production in woman.