• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.229-236
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• 2009

The glycoprotein hormone family represents a class of heterodimers, that includes the placental hormone equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and the anterior pituitary hormones- follitropin (FSH), lutropin (LH), and thyrotropin (TSH). The 4 hormones are heterodimers, with a common $\alpha$-subunit and unique $\beta$-subunits. eCG is the most heavily glycosylated of the known pituitary and placental glycoprotein hormones. Recent observations using single chain glycoprotein hormone analogs in which, the $\beta$-and $\alpha$-subunits are linked, implied that heterodimeric-like quaternary configuration is not a prerequisite for receptor/signal transduction. To study the function and signal transduction of tethered rec-eCG, a single chain eCG molecule was constructed and rec-eCG protein was produced. Molecular mass of the single chain is about 45 kDa. All mice were ovulated by tethered rec-eCG treatment. The dual activity of tethered rec-eCG was determined in receptor cell lines of nonequid species; in fact, this dual activity was proven in species other than horse. Tethered rec-eCG in equids does not bind to FSH receptors, suggesting that eCG is primarily an LH-like hormone in the horse. Taken together, these data suggest that tethered rec-eCG has dual activity in nonequid species in vitro. However, it has only LH-like activity in equid species in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2010

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a heavily glycosylated glycoprotein composed of non-covalently linked $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits. To study the function and signal transduction of tethered recombinant-eCG (rec-eCG), a single chain eCG molecule was constructed, and the rec-eCG protein was prepared. In this study, we constructed 5 mutants (${\Delta}1$, ${\Delta}2$, ${\Delta}3$, ${\Delta}4$, and ${\Delta}5$) of rec-eCG using data about known glycoprotein hormones to analyze the role of specific follicle stimulating homone (FSH)-like activity. Three amino acids of certain specific sites were replaced with alanine. The expression vectors were transfected into CHO cells and subjected to G418 selection for 2~3 weeks. The media were collected and the quantity of secreted tethered rec-eCGs was quantified by ELISA. The LH- and FSH-like activities were assayed in terms of cAMP production by rat LH/CG and rat FSH receptors. Then, the metabolic clearance rate analyzed by the injection of rec-eCG (5 IU) into the tail vein was analyzed. The mutant eCGs (${\Delta}l$, ${\Delta}4$, and ${\Delta}5$) were transcripted, but not translated into proteins. Rec-eCG A2 was secreted in much lower amounts than the wild type. Only the rec-eCG ${\Delta}3$ ($\beta$-subunit: $Gln^{94}-Ile^{95}-Lys^{96}{\rightarrow}Ala^{94}-Ala^{95}-Ala^{96}$) was efficiently secreted. Although activity is low, its LH-like activity was similar to that of tethered $eCG{\beta\alpha}$. However, the FSH-like activity of rec-$eCG{\beta\alpha\Delta}3$ was completely flat. The result of the analysis of the metabolic clearance rate shoed the persistence of the mutant in the blood until 4 hours after the injection. After then, it almost disappeared at 8 hours. Taken together, these data suggest that 94~96 amino acid sequences in eCG $\beta$-subunit appear to be of utmost importance for signal transduction of the FSH receptor.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.47-53
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• 2010

Glycoprotein hormones have a common $\alpha$-subunit that is involved in the signaling pathway together with G protein, adenylcyclase and cAMP induction; however, it is an unclear how this common structure is related to hormonal action. To determine the biological functions of the COOH-terminal amino acids in the $\alpha$-subunit of these glycoprotein hormones, a tethered-molecule was constructed by fusing the $NH_2$-terminus of the $\alpha$-subunit to the COOH-terminus of the $\beta$-subunit of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). The following deletion mutants were created by PCR; Ile was inserted at position 96 to form ${\Delta}96$, Lys was substituted at position 95 to form ${\Delta}95$, His was inserted at position 93 to form ${\Delta}93$ and Tyr was substituted at position 87 to form ${\Delta}87$. Each mutant was transfected into CHO-K1 cells. Tethered-wt eCG, and ${\Delta}96$, ${\Delta}95$, and ${\Delta}93$ mutants were efficiently secreted into the medium but the ${\Delta}87$ mutant was not secreted. Interestingly, the RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and northern blot analyses confirmed that the RNA was transcribed in the ${\Delta}87$ mutant. However, the ${\Delta}87$ mutant protein was not detected in the medium or the intracellular fraction of the cell lysates. The LH- and FSH-like activities of the recombinant proteins were assayed in terms of cAMP production using rat LH/CG and rat FSH receptors. The metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was determined by injecting rec-eCG (2 IU) into the tail vein. The ${\Delta}95$ and ${\Delta}93$ mutants were completely inactive in both the LH- and FSH-like activity assays. The ${\Delta}96$ mutant showed slight activity in the LH-like activity assay. In comparison to the wild type, the activity of the ${\Delta}96$ mutant in the FSH-like activity assay was the highest among all the mutants. The MCR assay in which rec-eCG was injected showed a peak at 10 min in all the treatment groups, which disappeared 4 h after injection. These results imply a direct interaction between the receptor and the COOH-terminal region of the a-subunit. The data also reveal a significant difference in the mechanism by which the eCG hormone interacts with the rLH and rFSH receptors. The COOH-terminal region of the $\alpha$-subunit is very important for the secretion and functioning of this hormone.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.299-308
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• 2002

eCG(말 융모성성선자극 호르몬)$\beta$와 eLH(말 황체형성호르몬)$\beta$는 하나의 유전자로 코드 되어 있으며, eCG와 eLH는 당쇄의 구조에 있어서 차이가 있는데, LH는 sulfate가 CG는 sialylate가 수식되어 있다. eCG는 다른 동물에 있어서 강력한 FSH (난포자극)와 LH의 이중활성을 나타내어 아주 특이하고, 많은 탄수화물로 수식되어 있는 당단백질 호르몬이다. eCG의 이러한 이중활성은 성선 자극호르몬의 구조, 기능 및 수용체와 이들 호르몬과의 특이결합에 대하여 분자 생물학적인 관점에서 연구하는데 아주 흥미롭다 따라서, eCG는 당쇄의 구조와 생화학적인 기능에서 아주 특이한 분자이다. 이러한 중요점을 당쇄첨가부위의 돌연변이를 통하여 분석한 결과, LH의 활성에서는 eCG$\alpha$의 56번 당쇄가 필수불가결한 역할을 하지만, eCG$\beta$의 카르복실기 말단의 O-linked 당쇄는 중요하지 않은 것으로 관찰되었다. 한편, N- 및 O-linked 당쇄 모두는 FSH활성에는 중요한 기능을 가지고 있는데, 양쪽 당쇄의 제거는 오히려 FSH 활성을 증가시켰다. 따라서, eCG의 LH와 FSH의 이중활성은 $\alpha$의 N-linked 당쇄의 제거와, $\beta$의 O-linked 당쇄를 제거함으로써 완전히 분리할 수 있으며, eCG에 있어서 당쇄는 생화학적 활성에 대하여 아주 중요하게 작용한다는 새로운 사실이 밝혀졌다. 단일체인 eCG($\beta$의 C-terminal에 u를 연결한)도 eCG$\alpha$/$\beta$ 및 천연형 eCG와 비교한 결과 효율적으로 분비되어지고 완전한 LH와 FSH 활성을 나타내었다. 이러한 결과들은 eCG 분자에 있어서 지금까지 문제시되어왔던 LH활성을 나타내지 않고, 높은 FSH 활성만을 나타내는 특이한 모델을 만들 수가 있으며, 현재 단일체인 분자에 있어서 당쇄의 기능에 대한구축은 각 단체의 결합, 분비에 영향을 미치는 당쇄 돌연변이 연구에 아주 유용할 것으로 사료된다.