Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells
Published on: April 26, 2017
Alternative splicing of placental lactogen (CSH2) in somatotroph pituitary adenomas
Tove Lekva1, Jens Petter Berg2, Robert Lyle3
1Section of Specialized Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Objectives:
Somatotroph adenomas secrete supraphysiological amounts of GH, causing acromegaly. We have previously shown epithelial splicing regulator 1 (ESRP1) to play a role in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in these adenomas and account for poor treatment response. We evaluated if the mRNA levels of the GH/CSH gene cluster in somatotroph adenomas are associated with an epithelial phenotype and response to SA treatment.
Methods:
We investigated the associations between ESRP1 and the growth hormone/chorionic somatomammotropin (GH/CSH) gene cluster by RNA sequencing (RNAseq). CSH2 isoform 3 mRNA was further evaluated in 65 somatotroph adenomas and associations with disease severity and treatment response.
Results:
mRNA for all genes in the GH/CSH cluster were expressed, however, only chorionic somatomammotropin 2/placental lactogen 2 (CSH2) displayed an alternative splicing pattern. CSH2 isoform 3 was associated with a dense granulation pattern and an epithelial phenotype with high levels of ESRP1 and E-cadherin expression. Further, CSH2 isoform 3 was associated with reduced serum GH and IGF-I levels after somatostatin analog treatment.
Conclusions:
Attenuated CSH2 isoform 3 was associated with mesenchymal phenotype and a blunted clinical response to somatostatin analog treatment in patients with acromegaly.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Splicing
Alternative RNA Splicing
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...
Non-LTR Retrotransposons

