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Semin Reprod Med 2007; 25(5): 379-387
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-984744
Copyright © 2007 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Paracrine Control of Gonadotrophs

Stephen J. Winters1 , Joseph P. Moore1
  • 1Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
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Publication History

Publication Date:
20 August 2007 (online)

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ABSTRACT

There is increasing evidence for communication among pituitary cells. Hormone-producing pituitary cells may communicate with each other and with folliculostellate cells. The latter cells surround pituitary hormone-producing cells and are connected by tight junctions to form a network that allows for their coordinated function. Folliculostellate cells are targets of cytokines, peptides, and steroid hormones, and produce growth factors and cytokines, including follistatin, the dynamic regulator of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) production that binds activin, and limits activin signaling. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and its receptor are found in folliculostellate cells in which they stimulate transcription of the follistatin gene through cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. When PACAP increases, follistatin levels increase, and FSH-β mRNA is reduced. PACAP also activates gonadotrophs to stimulate transcription of the gonadotropin α-subunit gene and lengthen the LH-β mRNA, presumably to prolong it half-life, and increases responsiveness to GnRH. Accordingly, PACAP differentially regulates FSH and LH, and may prove to be a key player in reproduction through a novel paracrine mechanism.

KEYWORDS

Pituitary - follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) - follistatin - folliculostellate cells

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Stephen J Winters

Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, ACB-A3G11

550 Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Email: sjwint01@louisville.edu