Molecular mechanisms selected by evolution m primates for self-protection against human chorionic gonadotropin
Costagliola, S.; De Leener, A.
Bulletin et Memoires de l'Academie Royale de Medecine de Belgique 163(10-12) 481-484; Discussion: 484-485
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0377-8231 PMID: 20120254 Document Number: 623621
The constitutive activation of the follitropin receptor (FSHR) could lead to promiscuous toxic activation by placental chorionic gonadotropin (CG) during human pregnancy. This study demonstrated that the evolution of the transmembrane region of the simian FSHR parallels the progressive accumulation of CG copies in the primate genomes. We assist to a purifying selection to keep the FSHR constitutively inactive and thus insensitive to CG.