Thyrostimulin is a novel glycoprotein hormone that was discovered in the early 2000s. It is composed of two subunits: glycoprotein hormone alpha 2 (GPA2) and glycoprotein hormone beta 5 (GPB5). These subunits heterodimerize to form thyrostimulin, which activates the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) and exhibits thyrotropic activity .
The discovery of thyrostimulin was a result of mining human sequence databases for similarities to known glycoprotein hormone subunits. GPA2 and GPB5 were identified as potential new subunits due to their homology to the common glycoprotein alpha-subunit (GPA1) and the glycoprotein hormone beta-subunit family, respectively . Both subunits have conserved cysteine-knot and N-glycosylation motifs, which are characteristic of glycoprotein hormones .
Thyrostimulin is expressed in various tissues, including the pituitary gland, eye, and testis. Immunological studies have shown that GPA2 and GPB5 co-localize in pituitary cells, although their expression levels can vary significantly . In vitro studies have demonstrated that recombinant human GPA2 and GPB5 form a heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone that binds to TSHR with an affinity similar to that of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) .
The presence of GPA2 and GPB5 in both protostomes and deuterostomes indicates their ancestral origin in the glycoprotein hormone family . Phylogenetic analysis suggests that these subunits have been conserved across species, including mammals, fish, and amphibians . The evolutionary history of thyrostimulin highlights its significance in the diversification and functional specialization of glycoprotein hormones .
The discovery of thyrostimulin has opened new avenues for research into thyroid function and regulation. Its ability to activate TSHR and stimulate thyroid activity suggests potential therapeutic applications in conditions related to thyroid dysfunction . Further studies are needed to explore the clinical relevance of thyrostimulin and its potential as a diagnostic or therapeutic tool.