Figure 8.

Schematic model depicting the proposed signaling pathway in LH/hCG-induced miR-122-mediated LHR mRNA down-regulation. Binding of ligand to LH receptor induces activation of cAMP/PKA signaling followed by ERK1/2. This leads to an increase in the expression of miR-122, which causes the activation of SREBPs. Activated SREBPs increase the gene expression of LRBP, and the increase in translated protein is expressed as an increase in its LHR mRNA binding activity, ultimately leading to the degradation of LHR mRNA.