An activin/furin regulatory loop modulates the processing and secretion of inhibin alpha- and betaB-subunit dimers in pituitary gonadotrope cells.

ABSTRACT: Of all ligands of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily, inhibins and activins are a physiologically relevant pair that are functional antagonists of each other. Activin stimulates whereas inhibin blocks follicle-stimulating hormone biosynthesis and secretion from pituitary gonadotrope cells, and together, inhibin and activin control the pituitary gonadal axis essential for normal reproductive function. Sharing a similar beta-subunit, the secretion of inhibin heterodimers (alpha/beta) or activin homodimers (beta/beta) as mature bioactive ligands depends, in part, on the proteolytic processing of precursor proteins. A short loop regulatory pathway controlling precursor processing and dimer secretion was discovered. Activin stimulates endogenous inhibin alpha- and betaB-subunit mRN

SUBMITTER: Antenos M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2586270 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature