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Biomedical subjects

H Brocas

Publications and source records attributed to H Brocas.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Molecular cloning of the 8000-base thyroglobulin structural gene.

Bovine thyroglobulin mRNA was reverse-transcribed into full-length double-stranded cDNA. The existence of three HindIII restriction endonuclease sites in the 8000-base thyroglobulin structural gene had allowed the easy cloning of the two internal HindIII fragments [Christophe et al. (1980) Eur. J. Biochem. 111, 419-423]. In the present study, the central portion of the structural gene was cloned in Escherichia coli as two individual recombinant plasmids containing 2000-base-pair and 4700-base-pair segments located respectively 5' and 3' relative to the unique BamHI site of the cDNA. BamHI linkers were added to the double-stranded cDNA and, following restriction with HindIII, selective cloning of the 5' (2600-base-pair) and 3' (1000-base-pair) terminal HindIII fragments was achieved by inserting them between the HindIII and BamHI sites of the plasmid pBR322. Partial sequencing of the 1000-base-pair 3'-terminal fragment demonstrated the presence of an A-A-U-A-A-A sequence in the mRNA 14 bases upstream from a poly(A) tract corresponding to the 3' end of the mRNA. Together, the four clones represent about 99% of the thyroglobulin structural gene and provide the starting material for the determination of thyroglobulin primary structure.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Radioautographic localization of prolactin messenger RNA on histological sections by in situ hybridization.

In situ hybridization of complementary [H3]DNA ([H3]cDNA) synthetized from purified rat prolactin messenger RNA (rPRL mRNA) was performed to specifically identify on histologic sections of rat hypophysis cells expressing the PRL gene. Radioautographic labelling occurred over weakly acidophilic cells, while other acidophils, with darker cytoplasm did not contain more silver grains than blood vessels.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Dopaminergic control of prolactin mRNA accumulation in the pituitary of the male rat.

Dopaminergic control of the expression of the prolactin gene was investigated by administration of bromoergocryptine (CB154) to male rats. The effects of the drug on the following parameters were measured: (i) circulating levels of GH and PRL; (ii) synthesis of GH and PRl measured by pulse labeling pituitary fragments in vitro; (iii) GH and PRL mRNA activities; and (iv) content of PRL and mRNA. After 1 day of CB154 administration, serum PRL fell to undetectable levels whereas it took 3 days to observe a 50% reduction in PRL synthesis. This effect was accounted for by a parallel decrease in PRL mRNA activity and content. GH synthesis and GH mRNA were not affected by the treatment. Our results show that the dopaminergic inhibition of PRL production involves regulation at a pre-translational level.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Restriction mapping of synthetic thyroglobulin structural gene as a means of investigating thyroglobulin structure.

Bovine 33 S thyroglobulin mRNA was reverse transcribed into double-stranded DNA under conditions allowing the synthesis of a complete 8 kilobase pair copy. A physical map of the resulting synthetic thyroglobulin structural gene was constructed using six restriction endonucleases. The following conclusions could be drawn: (i) the polypeptide chains in thyroglobulin subunits are identical; (ii) thyroglobulin is composed of a major class of molecules sharing the same primary structure; (iii) there is no evidence for precise internal repetition in the structure of thyroglobulin subunits.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Molecular cloning of bovine thyroglobulin complementary DNA. Characterization of 2500-base-pair and 1900-base-pair fragments.

Double-stranded thyroglobulin complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized from purified 33-S bovine thyroglobulin mRNA. This synthetic structural gene has previously been shown to contain three sites for the restriction endonuclease HindIII, yielding two internal fragments of 1900 and 2500 base pairs respectively. Recombinant molecules were prepared by ligating the HindIII-restricted cDNA to the plasmid pBR322 which had been linearized by the same enzyme. When Escherichia coli was transformed with this mixture, it yielded two kinds of colonies each harboring recombinant plasmids containing one of the two cDNA fragments. Both recombinant molecules hybridized specifically to translatable thyroglobulin mRNA. Sequence homology between the two cloned DNAs could not be detected by cross-hybridization experiments; this argues against the existence of internal structural repetition in thyroglobulin subunits. Together, the two cloned DNA fragments represent 55% of the 8000-base-pair double-stranded thyroglobulin DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Comparison of primary and secondary stimulation of male rats by estradiol in terms of prolactin synthesis and mRNA accumulation in the pituitary.

Male rats received acute or chronic primary or acute secondary stimulation with estradiol, and the effects on pituitary prolactin synthesis and its mRNA accumulation were examined. Prolactin synthesis was determined by the in vitro incorporation of [(3)H]leucine into prolactin over a period of 1 hr. Prolactin mRNA was measured both by cell-free translation in a nuclease-treated rabbit reticulocyte lysate and by hybridization to the complementary DNA. The latter two methods gave similar results under all experimental conditions. Acute primary stimulation with estradiol produced a significant increase in pituitary prolactin mRNA accumulation at 12 hr, which further increased by 2- to 3-fold over the next 48 hr. In contrast, no increase in prolactin synthesis was observed during the first 24 hr. Chronic stimulation with estradiol induced increases of both prolactin synthesis and prolactin mRNA that were quantitatively indistinguishable over the period of 1-4 weeks, reaching a plateau at 5-fold the basal values. By the 13th day after withdrawal of therapy both prolactin synthesis and mRNA had returned to the prestimulation levels. When the effects of estradiol on previously unexposed and estrogen withdrawn animals were compared, it was found that secondary stimulation not only produced a more rapid accumulation of the prolactin mRNA but also abolished the lag period of prolactin synthesis observed during the primary estrogen stimulation. These data demonstrate a lag in the endogenous translation of newly accumulated pituitary prolactin mRNA translatable in vitro after primary estrogen stimulation of male rats. The mechanism for the abolition of this lag during the secondary stimulation is now known.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Early in vitro induction of rat pituitary GH mRNA by T31.

Previous work has shown that thyroid hormone stimulates rat pituitary GH synthesis and GH mRNA activity and concentration. However, the earliest demonstration of increase in GH mRNA activity was 24 hours following T3 addition whereas stimulation of GH synthesis has been observed 2 hours after treatment with T3. Thus, it is unknown whether increase in pituitary GH mRNA is a prerequisite for the stimulation of GH synthesis. In the present investigation in vitro addition of 1.5 x 10(-10) M T3 to pituitaries isolated from hypothyroid rats resulted in a slight but significant increase of GH mRNA activity within 2 hours. Further stimulation of GH mRNA activity was observed over the period of 12 hours. No increase of GH mRNA activity occurred in the absence of T3, and T3 had no effect on the PRL mRNA activity. These findings suggest that increase in GH mRNA may be responsible for the observed induction of GH synthesis, and that at least one of the primary actions of thyroid hormone is at the nuclear level.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Triiodothyronine stimulates specifically growth hormone mRNA in rat pituitary tumor cells.

In a cell-free protein-synthesizing system from a rabbit reticulocyte lysate, total RNA extracted from cultured rat pituitary tumor (GH3) cells directed, in a dose-related manner, the synthesis of proteins that were precipitated by antisera specific to rat growth hormone (somatotropin) and rat prolactin. A marked decrease in growth hormone secretion and growth hormone mRNA activity was observed when cells were grown in a medium deficient in thyroid hormone. Addition of triiodothyronine in physiologic amounts both prevented and completely reversed this effect within 48 hr. Thyroid hormone had no effect on prolactin secretion or prolactin mRNA activity. These data suggest that thyroid hormone may stimulate synthesis of growth hormone through induction of transcriptional activity. The possibility of an additional effect at the posttranscriptional level has not been excluded. Although thyroid hormone is believed to have a general effect on a variety of metabolic processes, some effects, at the molecular level, may be quite selective, as indicated by the observed changes in growth hormone but not prolactin mRNA activity. The GH3 cell model is useful in the study of triiodothyronine action because of independence from secondary hormonal effects caused by hypothyroidism and because simultaneous measurement of prolactin mRNA activity serves as a unique internal control.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1975

Thyroglobulin messenger RNA: translation of a 33-S mRNA into a peptide immunologically related to thyroglobulin.

Poly(UC)--Sepharose chromatography of the RNA extracted from a thyroid fraction sedimenting between 800 X g and 27000 X g allows the purification of two RNA fractions amounting each to 1% of the applied material. The first one is loosely bound to the column from which it is eluted at 25 degrees C. It is mainly composed of 16-S and 12-S RNA comprising no poly(A) sequences. This could correspond to mitochondrial rRNA. The second one, which is eluted at 50 degrees C, is poly(A)-rich and represents 33-S and 17--18-S RNA species. The 33-S RNA resists heating at 80 degrees C, suggesting that it is composed of one polynucleotide chain. When injected into Xenopus oocytes, the 33-S RNA specifically promotes the synthesis of a peptide with an apparent molecular weight of 185000 and an apparent sedimentation coefficient of 10-S. This peptide is immunologically related to thyroglobulin and could represent its main precursor. Under the conditions tested it does not polymerize spontaneously into 19-S thyroglobulin, suggesting that assembly of the molecule could require specific, post-translational alterations of the precursor and/or the presence of additional lighter subunits.

Animals↗