Activin A induction of FSHβ subunit transcription requires SMAD4 in immortalized gonadotropes

Activins regulate FSH synthesis by stimulating the phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of SMAD2 and SMAD3, which bind to a consensus SMAD-binding element in the proximal murine FSHβ (Fshb) subunit gene to drive transcription. Previous over-expression and in vitro DNA binding analyses suggested that SMAD4 participates in complexes with SMAD2 and SMAD3 to regulate Fshb expression. Here, we have characterized the role of endogenous SMAD4 in activin A induction of Fshb transcription in immortalized murine gonadotropes (LβT2). We identified five murine Smad4 mRNA isoforms, of which, four are newly described; however, the canonical full-length form predominated at both the mRNA and protein levels. Depletion of endogenous SMAD4 by RNA interference (RNAi) abolished activin A-induced Fshb promoter-reporter activity and greatly attenuated constitutively active activin type IB receptor-stimulated Fshb mRNA levels. The activin A response was rescued with an RNAi-resistant form of wild-type SMAD4, but not with a DNA-binding-deficient (Lys88Arg) SMAD4, suggesting that DNA binding by SMAD4 is necessary for activin induction of the Fshb gene. Though SMAD2 and SMAD3 are generally thought to partner with SMAD4 prior to accumulation in the nucleus, treatment with leptomycin B, an inhibitor of SMAD4 nuclear export, reduced but did not prevent activin A induction of Fshb mRNA levels or promoter activity. In addition, a constitutively nuclear form of SMAD4 rescued the effect of endogenous SMAD4 depletion. Collectively, these data demonstrate a necessary role for SMAD4 in activin A induction of the murine Fshb gene in immortalized gonadotropes.