Ovine thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) heterologously stimulates production of thyroid hormones from Chinese soft-shell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) and bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana and Rana rugulosa) thyroids in vitro.

Thyroid hormones are important for regulating a variety of developmental processes in vertebrates, including growth, differentiation, metamorphosis, and oxidative metabolism. In particular, this study focused on the in vitro production of thyroxine (T(4)) and triiodothyronine (T(3)) from thyroids in American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), Chinese bullfrogs (Rana rugulosa Wiegmann), and Chinese soft-shell turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) treated with ovine thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) at different culture intervals (2, 4, 8, and 12 h) and dosages (1, 10, 50 or 100 ng). The levels of T(4) and T(3) in the tested animals were elevated upon stimulation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, indicating de novo synthesis of T(4) and T(3).

CSE1L/CAS, a microtubule-associated protein, inhibits taxol (paclitaxel)-induced apoptosis but enhances cancer cell apoptosis induced by various chemotherapeutic drugs.

CSE1L/CAS, a microtubule-associated, cellular apoptosis susceptibility protein, is highly expressed in various cancers. Microtubules are the target of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. We studied the effects of increased or reduced CAS expression on cancer cell apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs including paclitaxel.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding thyroid-stimulating hormone beta-subunit of common duck and mule duck pituitaries: in vitro regulation of steady-state TSHbeta mRNA level.

For better understanding of phylogenetic diversity and evolution of pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in birds, we have cloned the cDNAs encoding TSH beta subunit (TSHbeta), by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) from two species of domestic ducks, common duck (Tsaiya duck and Pekin duck) (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) and mule duck (hybrid of male muscovy duck Cairina moschata and female A. platyrhynchos domesticus). The nucleotide sequences of isolated TSHbeta cDNAs of the two species of ducks are identical, with each including 66 bp of 5'-untranslated region (UTR), 402 bp of coding region, and 82 bp 3'-UTR followed by 18 bp poly A tract.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of a cDNA encoding pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone beta-subunit of the Chinese soft-shell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis and regulation of its gene expression.

A cDNA encoding thyroid stimulating hormone beta-subunit (TSHbeta) was cloned from pituitary of the Chinese soft-shell turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, and its regulation of mRNA expression was investigated for the first time in reptile. The Chinese soft-shell turtle TSHbeta cDNA was cloned from pituitary RNA by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) methods. The Chinese soft-shell turtle TSHbeta cDNA consists of 580-bp nucleotides, including 67-bp nucleotides of 5'-untranslated region (UTR), 402-bp of the open reading frame, and 97-bp of 3'-UTR followed by a 14 poly (A) trait.

Molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding follicle-stimulating hormone beta subunit of the Chinese soft-shell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis, and its gene expression.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a member of the pituitary glycoprotein hormone family. These hormones are composed of two dissimilar subunits, alpha and beta. Very little information is available regarding the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of FSHbeta in reptilian species.

Effects of leptin and neuropeptide-Y on transcript levels of thyrotropin beta and common alpha subunits of rat pituitary cells in vitro.

Leptin and neuropeptide-Y (NPY) are indicated to play a role in hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in relation to regulation of energy homeostasis mediated through acting at hypothalamic synthesis and release of thyrotropin (TSH)-releasing hormone (TRH). Whether leptin and NPY also act at pituitary level in HPT axis remains unknown. This study aimed at investigating whether or not leptin and NPY exert actions at pituitary in modulation of transcript levels of TSHbeta and the common pituitary glycoprotein hormone alpha (PGHalpha) subunits.

Molecular cloning of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) cDNA from mud turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis.

The complete complementary DNA (cDNA) of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), a common precursor of opioid hormone beta-endorphin, melanotropin (MSH), and corticortropin (ACTH), was cloned and sequenced from pituitary and hypothalamus of mud turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) methods. Two transcripts of POMC mRNAs with different polyadenylation sites were observed. Both transcripts had an open reading frame encoding a 261-amino acid peptide containing nine dibasic amino acids (pair of Arg and Lys), putative proteolytic cleavage sites for processing to functional peptides.