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McNamara AV, Awais R, Momiji H, Dunham L, Featherstone K, Harper CV, Adamson AA, Semprini S, Jones NA, Spiller DG, Mullins JJ, Finkenstädt BF, Rand D, White MRH, Davis JRE. Transcription Factor Pit-1 Affects Transcriptional Timing in the Dual-Promoter Human Prolactin Gene. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6060060. [PMID: 33388754 PMCID: PMC7871365 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Gene transcription occurs in short bursts interspersed with silent periods, and these kinetics can be altered by promoter structure. The effect of alternate promoter architecture on transcription bursting is not known. We studied the human prolactin (hPRL) gene that contains 2 promoters, a pituitary-specific promoter that requires the transcription factor Pit-1 and displays dramatic transcriptional bursting activity and an alternate upstream promoter that is active in nonpituitary tissues. We studied large hPRL genomic fragments with luciferase reporters, and used bacterial artificial chromosome recombineering to manipulate critical promoter regions. Stochastic switch mathematical modelling of single-cell time-lapse luminescence image data revealed that the Pit-1-dependent promoter showed longer, higher-amplitude transcriptional bursts. Knockdown studies confirmed that the presence of Pit-1 stabilized and prolonged periods of active transcription. Pit-1 therefore plays an active role in establishing the timing of transcription cycles, in addition to its cell-specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne V McNamara
- Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Raheela Awais
- School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Hiroshi Momiji
- Mathematics Institute & Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology, and Infectious Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Senate House Coventry, UK
| | - Lee Dunham
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Karen Featherstone
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Claire V Harper
- Department of Biology, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK
| | - Antony A Adamson
- Genome Editing Unit, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sabrina Semprini
- University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nicholas A Jones
- Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - David G Spiller
- Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - John J Mullins
- University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Bärbel F Finkenstädt
- Mathematics Institute & Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology, and Infectious Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Senate House Coventry, UK
| | - David Rand
- Mathematics Institute & Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology, and Infectious Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Senate House Coventry, UK
| | - Michael R H White
- Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Correspondence: Professor Michael R. H. White, Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. E-mail: ; or Professor Julian R. E. Davis, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. E-mail:
| | - Julian R E Davis
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Correspondence: Professor Michael R. H. White, Systems Microscopy Centre, Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. E-mail: ; or Professor Julian R. E. Davis, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. E-mail:
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McNamara AV, Adamson AD, Dunham LSS, Semprini S, Spiller DG, McNeilly AS, Mullins JJ, Davis JRE, White MRH. Role of Estrogen Response Element in the Human Prolactin Gene: Transcriptional Response and Timing. Mol Endocrinol 2015; 30:189-200. [PMID: 26691151 PMCID: PMC4792233 DOI: 10.1210/me.2015-1186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) reporter constructs in molecular physiology enables the inclusion of large sections of flanking DNA, likely to contain regulatory elements and enhancers regions that contribute to the transcriptional output of a gene. Using BAC recombineering, we have manipulated a 160-kb human prolactin luciferase (hPRL-Luc) BAC construct and mutated the previously defined proximal estrogen response element (ERE) located -1189 bp relative to the transcription start site, to assess its involvement in the estrogen responsiveness of the entire hPRL locus. We found that GH3 cell lines stably expressing Luc under control of the ERE-mutated hPRL promoter (ERE-Mut) displayed a dramatically reduced transcriptional response to 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment compared with cells expressing Luc from the wild-type (WT) ERE hPRL-Luc promoter (ERE-WT). The -1189 ERE controls not only the response to E2 treatment but also the acute transcriptional response to TNFα, which was abolished in ERE-Mut cells. ERE-WT cells displayed a biphasic transcriptional response after TNFα treatment, the acute phase of which was blocked after treatment with the estrogen receptor antagonist 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen. Unexpectedly, we show the oscillatory characteristics of hPRL promoter activity in individual living cells were unaffected by disruption of this crucial response element, real-time bioluminescence imaging showed that transcription cycles were maintained, with similar cycle lengths, in ERE-WT and ERE-Mut cells. These data suggest the -1189 ERE is the dominant response element involved in the hPRL transcriptional response to both E2 and TNFα and, crucially, that cycles of hPRL promoter activity are independent of estrogen receptor binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne V McNamara
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Antony D Adamson
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Lee S S Dunham
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina Semprini
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - David G Spiller
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Alan S McNeilly
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - John J Mullins
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Julian R E Davis
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R H White
- Systems Microscopy Centre (A.V.M., A.D.A., D.G.S., M.R.H.W.), Faculty of Life Sciences, and Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences (L.S.S.D., J.R.E.D.), Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom; and The Molecular Physiology Group (S.S., J.J.M.), Centre for Cardiovascular Science, and Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit (A.S.M.), Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
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Christensen HR, Murawsky MK, Horseman ND, Willson TA, Gregerson KA. Completely humanizing prolactin rescues infertility in prolactin knockout mice and leads to human prolactin expression in extrapituitary mouse tissues. Endocrinology 2013; 154:4777-89. [PMID: 24029242 PMCID: PMC3836079 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A variety of fundamental differences have evolved in the physiology of the human and rodent prolactin (PRL) systems. The PRL gene in humans and other primates contains an alternative promoter, 5.8 kbp upstream of the pituitary transcription start site, which drives expression of PRL in "extrapituitary" tissues, where PRL is believed to exert local, or paracrine, actions. Several of these extrapituitary PRL tissues serve a reproductive function (eg, mammary gland, decidua, prostate, etc), consistent with the hypothesis that local PRL production may be involved in, and required for, normal reproductive physiology in primates. Rodent research models have generated significant findings regarding the role of PRL in reproduction. Specifically, disruption (knockout) of either the PRL gene or its receptor causes profound female reproductive defects at several levels (ovaries, preimplantation endometrium, mammary glands). However, the rodent PRL gene differs significantly from the human, most notably lacking the alternative promoter. Understanding of the physiological regulation and function of extrapituitary PRL has been limited by the absence of a readily accessible experimental model, because the rodent PRL gene does not contain the alternative promoter. To overcome these limitations, we have generated mice that have been "humanized" with regard to the structural gene and tissue expression of PRL. Here, we present the characterization of these animals, demonstrating that the human PRL transgene is responsive to known physiological regulators both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, the expression of the human PRL transgene is able to rescue the reproductive defects observed in mouse PRL knockout (mPRL(-)) females, validating their usefulness in studying the function or regulation of this hormone in a manner that is relevant to human physiology.
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