help button home button Endocrine Society Endocrinology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Whitfield, G. K.
Right arrow Articles by Kourides, I. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Whitfield, G. K.
Right arrow Articles by Kourides, I. A.

Endocrinology, Vol 117, 231-236, Copyright © 1985 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Expression of chorionic gonadotropin alpha- and beta-genes in normal and neoplastic human tissues: relationship to deoxyribonucleic acid structure

GK Whitfield and IA Kourides

We have investigated whether the expression of hCG genes can be attributed to changes in the structure of the alpha- and beta hCG genes, such as rearrangements, duplications, or methylation patterns. Various tissues and cell lines were studied: two term placentae, three trophoblastic tumor cell lines, two tumor cell lines ectopically producing alpha-subunit, normal cells not producing hCG or subunits, and a nonproducing malignancy. Gene structure was explored by restriction enzyme analysis and Southern blotting of DNA, using as probes 32P-labeled plasmids containing alpha- and beta hCG cDNAs. Similarly, methylation was evaluated using the restriction enzymes Msp I, Hpa II, and Hha I, each sensitive to a different pattern of cytosine methylation. No structural changes were observed in alpha- and beta hCG genes, although certain polymorphisms were observed. Analysis of methylation patterns revealed variation of the methylated cytosines; however, no clear correlation was seen between overall methylation or a specific pattern of methylation of these genes and their expression. Although specific methylated nucleotides of regulatory importance may not have been detected by our methods, we can still conclude that neither DNA structural alterations nor patterns of cytosine methylation appear to be major determinants of hCG expression.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J EndocrinolHome page
A. C Wilson, M S. Salamat, R. J Haasl, K. M Roche, A. Karande, S. V. Meethal, E. Terasawa, R. L Bowen, and C. S Atwood
Human neurons express type I GnRH receptor and respond to GnRH I by increasing luteinizing hormone expression
J. Endocrinol., December 1, 2006; 191(3): 651 - 663.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
A. P. N. Themmen and I. T. Huhtaniemi
Mutations of Gonadotropins and Gonadotropin Receptors: Elucidating the Physiology and Pathophysiology of Pituitary-Gonadal Function
Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2000; 21(5): 551 - 583.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 1985 by The Endocrine Society