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The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs.

Authors :
Banik J
Moreira ARS
Lim J
Tomlinson S
Hardy LL
Lagasse A
Haney A
Crimmins MR
Boehm U
Odle AK
MacNicol MC
Childs GV
MacNicol AM
Source :
Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2024 Mar 11; Vol. 14 (1), pp. 5918. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 11.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

The pituitary functions as a master endocrine gland that secretes hormones critical for regulation of a wide variety of physiological processes including reproduction, growth, metabolism and stress responses. The distinct hormone-producing cell lineages within the pituitary display remarkable levels of cell plasticity that allow remodeling of the relative proportions of each hormone-producing cell population to meet organismal demands. The molecular mechanisms governing pituitary cell plasticity have not been fully elucidated. Our recent studies have implicated a role for the Musashi family of sequence-specific mRNA binding proteins in the control of pituitary hormone production, pituitary responses to hypothalamic stimulation and modulation of pituitary transcription factor expression in response to leptin signaling. To date, these actions of Musashi in the pituitary appear to be mediated through translational repression of the target mRNAs. Here, we report Musashi1 directs the translational activation, rather than repression, of the Prop1, Gata2 and Nr5a1 mRNAs which encode key pituitary lineage specification factors. We observe that Musashi1 further directs the translational activation of the mRNA encoding the glycolipid Neuronatin (Nnat) as determined both in mRNA reporter assays as well as in vivo. Our findings suggest a complex bifunctional role for Musashi1 in the control of pituitary cell function.<br /> (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2045-2322
Volume :
14
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Scientific reports
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38467682
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56002-8