Hormonal regulation of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and manganese superoxide dismutase messenger ribonucleic acid in the rat corpus luteum: Induction by prolactin and placental lactogens

Norihiro Sugino, Mitsuko Hirosawa-Takamori, Liping Zhong, Carlos M. Telleria, Kunio Shiota, Geula Gibori*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

61 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The corpus luteum expresses two enzymes that scavenge superoxide radicals and protect the cells from their toxic activities: cytosolic copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) and mitochondrial manganese-SOD (Mn- SOD). The present study was undertaken to investigate whether the mRNA expression of each of these enzymes is regulated by luteotropic hormones. Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA levels were determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We first examined the effects of prolactin (PRL) on Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA expression in the corpus luteum. Hypophysectomy of Day 3 pregnant rats caused a sharp decline in both Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA levels, which was completely reversed by PRL administration. To further examine the effects of PRL and rat placental lactogen (rPL) on the expression of these enzymes, either primary luteinized granulosa cells or temperature-sensitive simian virus-40 transformed luteal cells (GG-CL) were cultured with different doses of PRL or rPL. These hormones induced a remarkable increase in Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA levels in both primary luteinized granulosa cells and GG-CL cells. Interestingly, whereas PRL up-regulated the expression of the SOD in luteal cells, other luteotropic hormones such as estradiol and dexamethasone inhibited both SOD mRNA expression while progesterone had no effect. In conclusion, PR/and PRL- like hormones induce a protective ability against toxic oxygen radicals by stimulating the expression of SODs, a phenomenon that may play an important role in maintaining luteal cell integrity and steroidogenic capacity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)599-605
Number of pages7
JournalBiology of Reproduction
Volume59
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 1998 Sept
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Embryology

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