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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Defining the Program of Maternal mRNA Translation during In vitro Maturation using a Single Oocyte Reporter Assay
Published on: June 16, 2021
Regulation of luteinizing hormone receptor mRNA expression by a specific RNA binding protein in the ovary
K M J Menon1, Anil K Nair, Lei Wang
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Michigan Medical School, 6428 Medical Science I, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0617, United States. kmjmenon@umich.edu
Abstract:
The expression of LH receptor mRNA shows significant changes during different physiological states of the ovary. Previous studies from our laboratory have identified a post-transcriptional mechanism by which LH receptor mRNA is regulated following preovulatory LH surge or in response to hCG administration. A specific binding protein, identified as mevalonate kinase, binds to the open reading frame of LH receptor mRNA. The protein binding site is localized to nucleotides 203-220 of the LH receptor mRNA and exhibits a high degree of specificity. The expression levels of the protein show an inverse relationship to the LH receptor mRNA levels. The hCG-induced down-regulation of LH receptor mRNA can be mimicked by increasing the intracellular levels of cyclic AMP by a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. An in vitro mRNA decay assay showed that addition of the binding protein to the decay system caused accelerated LH receptor mRNA decay. Our results therefore show that LH receptor mRNA expression in the ovary is regulated post-transcriptionally by altering the rate of mRNA degradation by a specific mRNA binding protein.
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