Promoter usage and estrogen regulation of prolactin receptor gene in the brain of the female rat

Mechanisms underlying hormonal regulation of prolactin receptor (PRL-R) gene in the brain are unknown. The 5'-untranslated region of PRL-R mRNA in peripheral tissues contains at least three alternative first exons (1A, B, C) that are expressed as tissue-specific, suggesting the differential usage of PRL-R gene promoters. The present study aimed to investigate: (1) the possible regulation of PRL-R mRNA levels by estrogen in in vitro and in vivo tissues; (2) which exon (1A, or 1B, or 1C)-containing PRL-R mRNA transcript is expressed in the brain, and (3) how the specific exon 1-containing mRNA is affected by estrogen by using RT-PCR, Southern blot and 5'Race PCR techniques. The RT-PCR results showed that PRL-R mRNA was detected in the cerebral cortex and pons medulla in addition to the choroid plexus and hypothalamus in the female rat. The expression of PRL-R mRNA was up-regulated by estrogen treatment in the rat brain tissue and in the GT1-7 cell culture. Both exon 1A- and 1C-containing transcripts were expressed in all four regions, suggesting that promoters 1A and 1C for the PRL-R gene are utilized in the rat brain. Exon 1A-containing transcript was up-regulated by estrogen treatment in all four brain regions, whereas Exon 1C-containing transcript was up-regulated by estrogen treatment in 3 of the 4 brain regions, cerebral cortex being the exception. Exon 1B-containing transcript was neither detectable nor induced by estrogen treatment in any of the brain regions examined. The RT-PCR results were confirmed by partial isolation of 5'-untranslated regions of exon 1A- and 1C-containing PRL-R mRNA transcripts from brain tissue by using 5'Race PCR. The present result confirms the expression of PRL-R mRNA in the cerebral cortex and pons medulla in the female rat. The levels of PRL-R mRNA were up-regulated by estrogen in rat brain tissue and GT1-7 cell cultures. Detection of exon 1A- and 1C-containing transcripts implies that the promoter 1A and 1C are active in the female rat brain. Estrogen differentially regulates expression of the PRL-R mRNA in the different brain regions by increasing the utilization of PRL-R gene promoters 1A and 1C in the female rat. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.