Dr. Jai Parkash is faculty in the Biomedical Sciences and Natural Sciences programs at KU Fort Myers campus.  Dr. Parkash and his group of scientists are pleased to announce the recent acceptance of their manuscript entitled “The presence of human chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptors in pancreatic beta cells” for publication in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Reproductive Sciences.

Human placenta and anterior pituitary gland secrete human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and luteinizing hormone (LH), respectively. They are structural and functional homologs that bind to the same G- protein coupled cell surface receptors in target cells. Dr. Jai Parkash, as a leading author, and his group of scientists investigated the possible presence of functional hCG/LH receptors in beta-cells of pancreas, using a combination of techniques on hCG/LH receptor knockout mice, immortalized rat insulinoma-cells, and human pancreatic islets. Their results showed the presence of receptors and their activation resulted in a dose dependent increase in glucose induced release of insulin level changes during the periods of altered hCG and LH secretion.

Maternal circulatory insulin levels increase during normal pregnancy. Whether this increase during first trimester could possibly due to hCG has never been questioned. Dr. Parkash’s and his fellow scientists’ findings could have huge implications for insulin level changes during the periods of altered hCG and LH secretion, such as pregnancy and polycystic ovarian disease, respectively.

Dr. Jai Parkash Biomedical Class Nov. 2014