The expression of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor in ovary and testis

Abstract

Follicle-stimulating hormone  receptor  (FSHR)  is  exclusively  expressed  in  granulose  cells  of  the  ovary  and Sertoli  cells  of  the  testis.The  highly  cell-specific  of  gene  expression  revealed  that  transcriptional  events  unique  to  these  two  cell  types  areresponsible  for activation of the FSHR gene.  Even though its mechanisms are still unclear, several progress regarding the mechanism that control its basal  transcription  and  regulation  has  been  made.  It  has  been  identified  several  important  elements  that responsible  for  the transcription  of  the  TATA-less  FSHR  gene  such  as:  E  box  element  (CACG(A)TG, –124/–119),  an  inverted  GATA  (TATC, –88/–85), E2F  (TTTCGCG, –45/–39),  and  regulator  element-3  (–197/–171).    The  functional  studies  shown  that  mutations  through these regulatory  elements  significantly  decrease  the  promoter  function  with  greatest  impact  detected  when  mutation  was  done  in  E-box element.  The site-specific CpG methylation within the core promoter seems play an important role in the regulation of rat and mouse FSHR gene expression. (Med J Indones 2003; 12: 187-93)