DAX-1 (dosage-sensitive sex reversal-adrenal hypoplasia congenita-critical region on the X chromosome gene 1; NR0B1) is an orphan nuclear receptor that plays an important role in the development and functioning of the adrenal gland and hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. The DAX-1 protein acts as a transcriptional repressor of genes involved in the steroidogenic pathway. We have identified a n...

The circadian clock plays a significant role in many aspects of female reproductive biology, including estrous cycling, ovulation, embryonic implantation, onset of puberty, and parturition. In an effort to link cell-specific circadian clocks to their specific roles in female reproduction, we used the promoter that controls expression of Steroidogenic Factor-1 (SF1) to drive Cre-recombinase-medi...

Tissue-specific expression of the glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit gene in pituitary gonadotropes relies on a gonadotrope-specific element (GSE), which binds an approximately 54-kilodalton protein termed GSE-binding protein 1 (GSEB1). We report here that GSEB1 is the orphan nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), which has been shown to be a primary regulator of steroidogenic enzymes ...

Adrenal and gonadal steroids are essential for life and reproduction. The orphan nuclear receptor SF1 (NR5A1) has been shown to regulate the expression of enzymes involved in steroid production in vitro. However, the in vivo role of this transcription factor in steroidogenesis has not been elucidated. In this study, we have generated steroidogenic-specific Cre-expressing mice to lineage mark an...

Addition of high density lipoprotein 3 (HDL3) isolated from human plasma of d greater than 1.125 g/ml which had been preincubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C enhanced steroidogenesis by cultured rat adrenal cells only 38% as well as HDL3 isolated from unincubated plasma. Loss of steroidogenic activity due to preincubation was associated with a decrease in the percent HDL3 cholesterol remaining une...

Numerous recent reports have demonstrated effects of estrogenic chemicals on reproductive physiology of fish. However, there is little information available on the regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis by physiological levels of endogenous steroids in teleosts. Therefore, we analyzed the levels of mRNAs encoding steroidogenic proteins in ovaries of E2-treated rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss)....

Seven categories of corpora lutea i.e. small ( 1-5 days), medium (6-10 days), large (1115 days), regressing (16-21days) and of previous cycle, penultimate cycle and pregnancy (<30 days) of goat (Capra hircus) were analyzed for cellular polymorphism, dynamics and ultrastructural variations. Histologically, corpus luteum was comprised of two types of steroidogenic cells. The diameter of granulosa...

Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) is a transcription factor shown to be critical for regulation of adrenal and gonadal development and function. To dissect the mechanisms that direct expression of this regulator, we have studied the promoter of the SF-1 gene and have identified cis-acting elements that recognize a basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factor; the CAAT binding factor; and Sp1. We dem...

Leydig cells secrete testosterone, which is essential for male fertility and reproductive health. Stress increases the secretion of glucocorticoid (corticosterone, CORT; in rats), which decreases circulating testosterone levels in part through a direct action by binding to the glucocorticoid receptors (NR3C1) in Leydig cells. The intratesticular CORT level is dependent on oxidative inactivation...

Cholesterol transport is essential for many physiological processes, including steroidogenesis. In steroidogenic cells hormone-induced cholesterol transport is controlled by a protein complex that includes steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). Star is expressed as 3.5-, 2.8-, and 1.6-kb transcripts that differ only in their 3'-untranslated regions. Because these transcripts share the s...