Zeleznik Research Group
Principal Investigator:
Anthony Zeleznik, PhD
The focus of the Zeleznik laboratory, within the Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, is to understand the physiological and cellular mechanisms by which the gonadotropic hormones Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone regulate the growth and maturation of the ovarian follicle.
Specific Areas of Research Include:
This laboratory is interested in identifying the cellular signaling pathways used by FSH and LH to promote granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation. To accomplish this, we are using vectors to express constitutively active and dominant-negative and dominant-active mutants of gonadotropin receptors, protein kinases and transcription factors in cell culture and assess steroid production and mRNA's that encode for specialized proteins involved in granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation.
Contact Information
Anthony J. Zeleznik, PhD
Magee-Womens Research Institute
204 Craft Avenue, Room B 309
Phone: 412-641-7673
Fax: 412-641-7676
Email
Lab Members
Ms. Lynda Little-Ihrig, BS
Laboratory Research Assistant
Selected Publications
- Sullivan MW, Stewart-Aikers A, Krasnow JS, Berga SL, & Zeleznik AJ. Ovarian responses in women to recombinant follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone: A role for LH in the final stages of follicular maturation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 84:228-32, 1999.
- Somers J, DeLoia JA, & Zeleznik AJ. Adenovirus-directed expression of a non-phosphorylatable mutant of CREB (cAMP Response Element Binding Protein) adversely affects the survival, but not the differentiation, of rat granulosa cells. Mol Endocrinol, 13:1364-72, 1999.
- Bebia Z, Somers JP, Liu G, Ihrig L, Shenker A, & Zeleznik AJ. Adenovirus-directed expression of functional LH receptors in undifferentiated rat granulosa cells: Evidence for differential signaling through FSH and LH receptors. Endocrinol, 142:2252-59, 2001.
- El-Hefnawy T & Zeleznik AJ. Synergism between FSH and activin in the regulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D2 expression in undifferentiated rat granulosa cells. Endocrinology, 142:4357-62, 2001.
- Saxena D, Escamilla-Hernandez R, Little-Ihrig L, & Zeleznik AJ. Liver receptor homolog-1 and steroidogenic factor-1 have similar actions on rat granulosa cell steroidogenesis. Endocrinol, 148:726-34, 2007.
- Escamilla-Hernandez R, Little-Ihrig L, & Zeleznik AJ. Inhibition of rat granulosa cell differentiation by overexpression of Galphaq. Endocrine, 33:21-31, 2008.
- Escamilla-Hernandez R, Little-Ihrig L, Orwig KE, Yue J, Chandran U, & Zeleznik AJ. Constitutively active protein kinase a qualitatively mimics the effects of follicle-stimulating hormone on granulosa cell differentiation. Mol Endocrinol, 22:1842-52, 2008.