• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.864-872
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• 2017

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) consists of highly glycosylated ${\alpha}-$ and ${\beta}-subunits$ and is a unique member of the gonadotropin family, because it elicits the response characteristics of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in species other than the horse. To directly assess the biological function of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$, we constructed mammalian expressing vectors of equine luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptors (eLH/CGR). The activity of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ in vitro assayed in transient transfected CHO-K1 cells and in stably transfected PathHunter Parental cells with eLH/CGR was investigated. $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was efficiently secreted in the CHO-K1 suspension cell media, and the quantity detected was about 200 mIU/ml from 1 to 7 days after transfection. In the western blot analysis, the $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ protein was broadly identified to be about 40~45 kDa molecular weight. The cAMP stimulation in CHO-K1 cells expressing eLH/CGR was determined to evaluate the activity of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$. The cAMP concentration increased in direct proportion to the concentration of the $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$. The $EC_{50}$ value in the transient transfected CHO-K1 cells was $8.1{\pm}6.5ng$. The stable cell lines of eLH/CGR were established in the PathHunter Parental cells expressing ${\beta}-arrestin$. We found that $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ had full LH activity in the PathHunter Parental cells expressing eLH/CGR. The $EC_{50}$ value in transient and stable cells was $5.0{\pm}4.7ng/ml$ and $4.5{\pm}5.2ng/ml$, respectively. These results suggest that $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ has a biological activity in a cell expressing eLH/CGR. These stable cells expressed in PathHunter Parental cells could be useful for elucidating the functional mechanisms of deglycosylated $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ mutants.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the signal transduction of phosphorylation sites at the carboxyl (C)-terminal region of equine luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (eLH/CGR). The eLH/CGR has a large extracellular domain of glycoprotein hormone receptors within the G protein-coupled receptors. We constructed a mutant (eLH/CGR-t656) of eLH/CGR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at the Phe656 residue, through polymerase chain reaction. The eLH/CGR-t656 removed 14 potential phosphorylation sites in the intracellular C-terminal region. The plasmids were transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 and PathHunter Parental cells expressing β-arrestin, and agonist-induced cAMP responsiveness was analyzed. In CHO-K1 cells, those expressing eLH/CGR-t656 were lower than those expressing eLH/CGR wild-type (eLH/CGR-wt). The EC₅₀ of the eLH/CGR-t656 mutant was approximately 72.2% of the expression observed in eLH/CGR-wt. The maximal response in eLH/CGR-t656 also decreased to approximately 43% of that observed in eLH/CGR-wt. However, in PathHunter Parental cells, cAMP activity and maximal response of the eLH/CGR-t656 mutant were approximately 173.5% and 100.8%, respectively, of that of eLH/CGR-wt. These results provide evidence that the signal transduction of C-terminal phosphorylation in eLH/CGR plays a pivotal role in CHO-K1 cells. The cAMP level was recovered in PathHunter Parental cells expressing β-arrestin. We suggest that the signal transduction of the C-terminal region phosphorylation sites is remarkably different depending on the cells expressing β-arrestin in CHO-K1 cells.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2020

Equine follicle stimulating hormone receptor (eFSHR) has a large extracellular domain and an intracellular domain containing approximately 10 phosphorylation sites within the G protein-coupled receptor. This study was conducted to analyze the function of phosphorylation sties at the eFSHR C-terminal region. We constructed a mutant of eFSHR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at residue 641 (eFSHR-t641). This removed 10 potential phosphorylation sites from the C-terminal region of the intracellular loop. The eFSHR-wild type (eFSHR-wt) and eFSHR-t641 cDNAs were subcloned into the pCMV-ARMS1-PK2 expression vector. These plasmids were transfected into PathHunter CHO-K1 Parental cells expressing β-arrestin 2 enzyme acceptor fusion protein and analyzed for agonist-induced cAMP response. The cAMP response in cells expressing eFSHR-t641 was lower than the response in cells expressing eFSHR-wt. EC₅₀ values of eFSHR-wt and eFSHR-t641 were 1079 ng/mL and 1834 ng/mL, respectively. eFSHR-t641 was approximately 0.58-fold compared with that of eFSHR-wt. The maximal response in eFSHR-wt and eFSHR-t641 was 24.7 nM and 16.7 nM, respectively. The Rmax value of phosphorylation sites in eFSHR-t641 was also decreased to approximately 68.4% of that in eFSHR-wt. The collective data implicate that the phosphorylation sites in the eFSHR C-terminal region have a pivotal role in signal transduction in PathHunter CHO-K1 cells, and indicate that β-arrestin is involved in coupling the activated receptors to the internalization system.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2018

The large extracellular domain of glycoprotein hormone receptors is a unique feature within the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) family. After interaction with the hormone, the receptor becomes coupled to Gs, which, in turn stimulates adenylyl cyclase and the production of cAMP. Potential phosphorylation sites exist in the C-terminal region of GPCRs. The experiments described herein represent attempts to determine the functions of the eel follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (eelFSHR). We constructed a mutant of eelFSHR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at residue 614 (eelFSHR-t614). The eelFSHR-t614 lacked all potential phosphorylation sites present in the C-terminal region of eelFSHR. In order to obtain the eelFSHR ligand, we produced recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone ($rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$) in the CHO-suspension cells. The expression level was 2-3 times higher than that of the transient expression of eelFSH in attached CHO-K1 cells. The molecular weight of the $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ protein was identified to be approximately 34 kDa. The cells expressing eelFSHR-t614 showed an increase in agonist-induced cAMP responsiveness. The maximal cAMP responses of cells expressing eelFSHR-t614 were lower than those of cells expressing eelFSHR-wild type (eelFSHR-WT). The $EC_{50}$ following C-terminal deletion in CHO-K1 cells was approximately 60.4% of that of eelFSHR-WT. The maximal response in eelFSHR-t614 cells was also drastically lower than that of eelFSHR-WT. We also found similar results in PathHunter Parental cells expressing ${\beta}$-arrestin. Thus, these data provide evidence that the truncation of the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail phosphorylation sites in the eelFSHR greatly decreased cAMP responsiveness and maximal response in both CHO-K1 cells and Path-Hunter Parental cells expressing ${\beta}$-arrestin.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

In this study, we analyzed signal transduction by equine follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (eFSHR) on sti- mulation with recombinant $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ ($rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$), natural porcine FSH (pFSH), and natural human FSH (hFSH). cAMP stimulation in CHO-K1 cells expressing eFSHR was determined upon exposure to different doses (0-1450 ng/mL) of these hormones. The $EC_{50}$ value of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was 53.35 ng/mL. The Rmax values of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and pFSH were 28.12 and 2.88 ng/mL, respectively. The activity of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was much higher than that of natural pFSH. However, signal transduction in CHO PathHunter Parental cells expressing eFSHR was not enhanced by stimulation with natural hFSH. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was completely active in cells expressing eFSHR. However, natural hFSH did not invoke a signal response in cells expressing eFSHR. Particularly, natural pFSH was weakly active in the same cells. These results showed that $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ has potent activity in cells expressing eFSHR. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ may efficiently bind to eFSHR, where as natural hFSH does not bind to eFSHR.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2018

Previous studies showed that recombinant equine chorionic gonadotropin ($rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$) exhibits both follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)-like activities in rat LHR- and FSHR-expressing cells. In this study, we analyzed signal transduction by eelFSHR and eelLHR upon stimulation with $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulation in CHO-K1 cells expressing eelLHR was determined upon exposure to different doses (0-1,450 ng/mL) of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG. The $EC_{50$ values of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG were 172.4 and 786.6 ng/mL, respectively. The activity of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was higher than that of native eCG. However, signal transduction in the CHO PathHunter Parental cells expressing eelFSHR was not enhanced by stimulation with both agonist $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG. We concluded that $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG were completely active in cells expressing eelLHR, similar to the activity in the mammalian cells expressing LHRs. However, $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and native eCG did not invoke any signaling response in the cells expressing eelFSHR. These results suggest that eCG has a potent activity in cells expressing eelLHR. Thus, we also suggest that $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ can induce eel maturation by administering gonadotropic reagents (LH), such as salmon pituitary extract.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.399-409
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• 2022

Objective: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is the central hormone involved in mammalian reproduction, maturation at puberty, and gamete production that mediates its function by control of follicle growth and function. The present study investigated the mutations involved in the regulation of FSH receptor (FSHR) activation. Methods: We analyzed seven naturally-occurring mutations that were previously reported in human FSHR (hFSHR), in the context of equine FSHR (eFSHR); these include one constitutively activation variant, one allelic variant, and five inactivating variants. These mutations were introduced into wild-type eFSHR (eFSHR-wt) sequence to generate mutants that were designated as eFSHR-D566G, -A306T, -A189V, -N191I, -R572C, -A574V, and -R633H. Mutants were transfected into PathHunter EA-parental CHO-K1 cells expressing β-arrestin. The biological function of mutants was analyzed by quantitating cAMP accumulation in cells incubated with increasing concentrations of FSH. Results: Cells expressing eFSHR-D566G exhibited an 8.6-fold increase in basal cAMP response, as compared to that in eFSHR-wt. The allelic variation mutant eFSHR-A306T was not found to affect the basal cAMP response or half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) levels. On the other hand, eFSHR-D566G and eFSHR-A306T displayed a 1.5- and 1.4-fold increase in the maximal response, respectively. Signal transduction was found to be completely impaired in case of the inactivating mutants eFSHR-A189V, -R572C, and -A574V. When compared with eFSHR-wt, eFSHR-N191I displayed a 5.4-fold decrease in the EC₅₀ levels (3,910 ng/mL) and a 2.3-fold decrease in the maximal response. In contrast, cells expressing eFSHR-R633H displayed in a similar manner to that of the cells expressing the eFSHR-wt on signal transduction and maximal response. Conclusion: The activating mutant eFSHR-D566G greatly enhanced the signal transduction in response to FSH, in the absence of agonist treatment. We suggest that the state of activation of the eFSHR can modulate its basal cAMP accumulation.