Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) has been known to be a receptor of long-chain fatty acids. Here, we investigated GPR120 expression in the mouse pituitary gland via real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. GPR120 mRNA was abundantly expressed in the pituitary gland of ad-lib fed animals. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed GPR120 expression in the gonadotropes of the anterior pituitary gland, but not in thyrotropes, somatotropes, lactotropes, corticotropes, melanotropes, and the posterior pituitary gland. Furthermore, 24 h of fasting induced an increase in GPR120 mRNA expression in the pituitary gland. These results demonstrate that GPR120 in mouse pituitary gonadotropes is upregulated by fasting and that it may play a role in controlling gonadotropin secretion.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cartoni C, Yasumatsu K, Ohkuri T, Shigemura N, Yoshida R, Godinot N, le Coutre J, Ninomiya Y, Damak S (2010) Taste preference for fatty acids is mediated by GPR40 and GPR120. J Neurosci 30:8376–8382
Chen ZY, Cunnane SC (1992) Preferential retention of linoleic acid-enriched triacylglycerols in liver and serum during fasting. Am J Physiol 263:R233–R239
Cornall LM, Mathai ML, Hryciw DH, McAinch AJ (2011) Diet-induced obesity up-regulates the abundance of GPR43 and GPR120 in a tissue specific manner. Cell Physiol Biochem 28:949–958
Garrel G, Simon V, Denoyelle C, Cruciani-Guglielmacci C, Migrenne S, Counis R, Magnan C, Cohen-Tannoudji J (2011) Unsaturated fatty acids stimulate LH secretion via novel PKCepsilon and -theta in gonadotrope cells and inhibit GnRH-induced LH release. Endocrinology 152:3905–3916
Gotoh C, Hong YH, Iga T, Hishikawa D, Suzuki Y, Song SH, Choi KC, Adachi T, Hirasawa A, Tsujimoto G, Sasaki S, Roh SG (2007) The regulation of adipogenesis through GPR120. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 354:591–597
Hirasawa A, Tsumaya K, Awaji T, Katsuma S, Adachi T, Yamada M, Sugimoto Y, Miyazaki S, Tsujimoto G (2005) Free fatty acids regulate gut incretin glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion through GPR120. Nat Med 11:90–94
Ichimura A, Hirasawa A, Poulain-Godefroy O, Bonnefond A, Hara T, Yengo L, Kimura I, Leloire A, Liu N, Iida K, Choquet H, Besnard P, Lecoeur C, Vivequin S, Ayukawa K, Takeuchi M, Ozawa K, Tauber M, Maffeis C, Morandi A, Buzzetti R, Elliott P, Pouta A, Jarvelin MR, Korner A, Kiess W, Pigeyre M, Caiazzo R, Van Hul W, Van Gaal L, Horber F, Balkau B, Levy-Marchal C, Rouskas K, Kouvatsi A, Hebebrand J, Hinney A, Scherag A, Pattou F, Meyre D, Koshimizu TA, Wolowczuk I, Tsujimoto G, Froguel P (2012) Dysfunction of lipid sensor GPR120 leads to obesity in both mouse and human. Nature 483:350–354
Ito J, Ito M, Nambu H, Fujikawa T, Tanaka K, Iwaasa H, Tokita S (2009) Anatomical and histological profiling of orphan G-protein-coupled receptor expression in gastrointestinal tract of C57BL/6J mice. Cell Tissue Res 338:257–269
Katsuma S, Hatae N, Yano T, Ruike Y, Kimura M, Hirasawa A, Tsujimoto G (2005) Free fatty acids inhibit serum deprivation-induced apoptosis through GPR120 in a murine enteroendocrine cell line STC-1. J Biol Chem 280:19507–19515
Luque RM, Park S, Kineman RD (2007) Severity of the catabolic condition differentially modulates hypothalamic expression of growth hormone-releasing hormone in the fasted mouse: potential role of neuropeptide Y and corticotropin-releasing hormone. Endocrinology 148:300–309
Matsumura S, Mizushige T, Yoneda T, Iwanaga T, Tsuzuki S, Inoue K, Fushiki T (2007) GPR expression in the rat taste bud relating to fatty acid sensing. Biomed Res 28:49–55
Miyauchi S, Hirasawa A, Iga T, Liu N, Itsubo C, Sadakane K, Hara T, Tsujimoto G (2009) Distribution and regulation of protein expression of the free fatty acid receptor GPR120. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 379:427–434
Moriyama R, Reyes BA, Tsukamura H, Maeda K-I (2003) Glucoprivation-induced Fos expression in the hypothalamus and lower brainstem in female rats. J Reprod Dev 49:151–157
Oh DY, Talukdar S, Bae EJ, Imamura T, Morinaga H, Fan W, Li P, Lu WJ, Watkins SM, Olefsky JM (2010) GPR120 is an omega-3 fatty acid receptor mediating potent anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects. Cell 142:687–698
Sharma S, Morinaga H, Hwang V, Fan W, Fernandez MO, Varki N, Olefsky JM, Webster NJ (2013) Free fatty acids induce Lhb mRNA but suppress Fshb mRNA in pituitary LβT2 gonadotropes and diet-induced obesity reduces FSH levels in male mice and disrupts the proestrus LH/FSH surge in female mice. Endocrinology 154:2188–2199
Tanaka T, Katsuma S, Adachi T, Koshimizu TA, Hirasawa A, Tsujimoto G (2008) Free fatty acids induce cholecystokinin secretion through GPR120. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 377:523–527
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Prof. Yukio Kato (Meiji Univ.) for valuable discussions. We thank Dr. Makoto Yokosuka (Nippon Veterinary and Life Science Univ.) and Junko Igarashi (St. Marianna Univ.) for their technical advice. We also thank Mr. Shinya Shano for technical assistance. This work was supported in part by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI Grant (20780202) and Kinki University (GS03 and RK18-30) to R.M..
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moriyama, R., Deura, C., Imoto, S. et al. Expression of the long-chain fatty acid receptor GPR120 in the gonadotropes of the mouse anterior pituitary gland. Histochem Cell Biol 143, 21–27 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-014-1257-3
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-014-1257-3