Overexpression of @entity1 chorionic gonadotropin causes multiple reproductive defects in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity43 @entity251 @entity7807 @entity1465 @entity19 @entity5 @entity1373 @entity548 @entity53
@entity1 @entity1465 is a pregnancy marker secreted by the placenta, and it utilizes the same receptors as does LH. @entity1 @entity1465 is a heterodimer, and its subunits are expressed in tissues other than placenta. Similarly, LH/ @entity1465 receptors are also expressed in multiple tissues; however, the physiological significance of this expression is unknown. Free @entity7807 is efficiently secreted in vitro in transfected cells and is highly expressed in many @entity1 @entity5 ; however, the biological effects of free @entity7807 in vivo are unknown. To study in vivo consequences of elevated levels of free @entity7807 and @entity1465 dimer in both male and female reproductive physiology, we used @entity19 metallothionein 1 promoter to generate multiple lines of @entity19 that overexpressed either one or both subunits of @entity1465 . Although @entity19 expressing the glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit are normal and fertile, both male and female @entity19 overexpressing only the hormone-specific @entity7807 subunit are infertile. The @entity7807 subunit-expressing transgenic female @entity19 progressively develop @entity43 , whereas the male @entity19 are infertile but otherwise are not phenotypically discernible. In contrast, both the male and female @entity19 coexpressing high levels of the @entity1465 subunits (i.e., the @entity1465 dimer) demonstrate multiple reproductive defects. The male @entity19 have @entity1373 , very high levels of serum @entity251 , reduced testis size, and dramatically enlarged seminal vesicles and are infertile and display overly aggressive behavior when caged with females. The female @entity19 are also infertile, have elevated levels of serum @entity53 , and progressively develop @entity548 and @entity43 with thecal layer enlargement and stromal cell proliferation and degenerating kidneys. These results suggest that the in vivo biological effects of ectopically expressed free @entity7807 subunit are distinct from those of the @entity1465 dimer and are gender specific. These @entity19 are useful models for studying the biology of free @entity7807 subunit, for further analyzing the gain of function effects of @entity1465 during early Leydig cell development, and for studying the roles of @entity1465 in ovarian and kidney pathophysiology and function.
