title: Expression of glucocorticoid receptor alpha- and beta-isoforms in human cells and tissues.
abstract: Alternative splicing of the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR) primary transcript generates two protein isoforms: GR-alpha and GR-beta. We investigated the expression of both GR isoforms in healthy human cells and tissues. GR-alpha mRNA abundance (x10(6) cDNA copies/microg total RNA) was as follows: brain (3.83 +/- 0.80) > skeletal muscle > macrophages > lung > kidney > liver > heart > eosinophils > peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) > nasal mucosa > neutrophils > colon (0.33 +/- 0.04). GR-beta mRNA was much less expressed than GR-alpha mRNA. Its abundance (x10(3) cDNA copies/microg total RNA) was as follows: eosinophils (1.55 +/- 0.58) > PBMCs > liver > or = skeletal muscle > kidney > macrophages > lung > neutrophils > brain > or = nasal mucosa > heart (0.15 +/- 0.08). GR-beta mRNA was not found in colon. While GR-alpha protein was detected in all cells and tissues, GR-beta was not detected in any specimen. Our results suggest that, in physiological conditions, the default splicing pathway is the one leading to GR-alpha. The alternative splicing event leading to GR-beta is minimally activated.
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Hospital Clínic, Departament de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pujols
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mullol
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roca-Ferrer
authors.forename: Alfons
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torrego
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xaubet
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cidlowski
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Picado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D003106:Colon / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; C411470:glucocorticoid receptor alpha; C121943:glucocorticoid receptor beta