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Submitted on June 7, 2006
Accepted on September 1, 2006
Department of Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mario-ascoli{at}uiowa.edu.
Human CG and hFSH elicit a transient increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation lasting less than 60 min in immature granulosa cells expressing a low density of gonadotropin receptors. In cells expressing a high density of receptors hCG and hFSH elicit this fast transient increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and also a delayed and more sustained increase that is detectable after 6-9 h. Both, the early and delayed increases in ERK1/2 phosphorylation can be blocked with inhibitors of PKA, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase, metalloproteases and MEK. The delayed effect, but not the early effect, can also be blocked with an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC).
Since the delayed increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation correlates with low aromatase expression in response to gonadotropins we tested the effects of the inhibitors mentioned on aromatase expression. These inhibitors had little or no effect on gonadotropin-induced aromatase expression in cells expressing a low density of receptors but they enhanced gonadotropin-induced aromatase expression in cells expressing a high density of receptors. Phorbol esters also induced a prolonged increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and when added together with hFSH, blocked the induction of aromatase expression by hFSH in cells expressing a low density of hFSHR. A MEK inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of the phorbol ester on aromatase induction.
We conclude that the effects of gonadotropins on ERK1/2 phosphorylation are mediated by EGF-like growth factors and that the delayed effect is partially mediated by PKC and acts as a negative regulator of aromatase expression.
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