ABSTRACT
Lactotropes are prolactin (PRL)-secreting endocrine cells in the anterior pituitary. We have established the zinc finger protein ZBTB20 as an essential transcription factor for lactotrope specification, the disruption of which results in complete loss of lactotropes in mice. However, the potential role of ZBTB20 in mature lactotropes remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that ZBTB20 acts as a critical cell-autonomous regulator for PRL expression in mature lactotropes in adult mice. Via a CRISPR/Cas9 approach, we first generated a tamoxifen-inducible Prl-CreER knockin mouse line that could efficiently mediate gene recombination specifically in lactotropes. Conditional deletion of the Zbtb20 gene specifically in mature lactotropes at adulthood led to a substantial decrease in PRL levels both in the pituitary and in plasma, without significant alterations of lactotrope relative density in the pituitary from male or female mice. Furthermore, conditional disruption of Zbtb20 in adult female mice did not significantly change pregnancy-elicited lactotrope expansion, but caused an impaired mammary gland expansion and lactation due to the PRL defect. Thus, our data point to an important role of ZBTB20 in regulating PRL expression and lactotrope function at adulthood.
Subject(s)
Pituitary Gland, Anterior , Prolactin , Pregnancy , Mice , Female , Male , Animals , Prolactin/genetics , Prolactin/metabolism , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Pituitary Gland/metabolism , Protein Binding , Gene Expression Regulation , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acute lymphadenitis of face and neck treated by physiotherapy with drugs. METHODS: Ninety-six children with acute lymphodenitis of face and neck were randomly divided into 2 groups. Of the 96 patients, 48 were treated by drugs as the control group, and the other 48 were treated by physiotherapy with drugs as the treatment group. Improvement of clinical symptoms and signs was compared after 3 days, and the treatment period was observed. RESULTS: Clinical symptom and sign of the treatment group were improved more than those of the controls (P < 0.01); the treatment period of the treatment group was shorter than that of the controls (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: It is more effictive and costs less time to treat acute lymphadenitis of face and neck with physiotherapy with drugs.
