Genetic ablation of parathyroid glands reveals another source of parathyroid hormone

Thomas Günther, Zhou-Feng Chen, Jaesang Kim, Matthias Priemel, Johannes M. Rueger, Michael Amling, Jane M. Moseley, T. John Martin, David J. Anderson and Gerard Karsenty ()
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Thomas Günther: Program of Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
Zhou-Feng Chen: Washington University School of Medicine
Jaesang Kim: California Institute of Technology
Matthias Priemel: Hamburg University
Johannes M. Rueger: Hamburg University
Michael Amling: Hamburg University
Jane M. Moseley: St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research
T. John Martin: St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research
David J. Anderson: California Institute of Technology
Gerard Karsenty: Program of Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine

Nature, 2000, vol. 406, issue 6792, 199-203

Abstract: Abstract The parathyroid glands are the only known source of circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH), which initiates an endocrine cascade that regulates serum calcium concentration1. Glial cells missing2 (Gcm2), a mouse homologue of Drosophila Gcm, is the only transcription factor whose expression is restricted to the parathyroid glands2,3,4,5. Here we show that Gcm2-deficient mice lack parathyroid glands and exhibit a biological hypoparathyroidism, identifying Gcm2 as a master regulatory gene of parathyroid gland development. Unlike PTH receptor-deficient mice, however, Gcm2-deficient mice are viable and fertile, and have only a mildly abnormal bone phenotype. Despite their lack of parathyroid glands, Gcm2-deficient mice have PTH serum levels identical to those of wild-type mice, as do parathyroidectomized wild-type animals. Expression and ablation studies identified the thymus, where Gcm1, another Gcm homologue, is expressed, as the additional, downregulatable source of PTH. Thus, Gcm2 deletion uncovers an auxiliary mechanism for the regulation of calcium homeostasis in the absence of parathyroid glands. We propose that this backup mechanism may be a general feature of endocrine regulation.

Date: 2000
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DOI: 10.1038/35018111

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