title: Thyroid hormone affects secretory activity and uncoupling protein-3 expression in rat harderian gland.
abstract: The effects of T(3) administration on the rat Harderian gland were examined at morphological, biochemical, and molecular levels. T(3) induced hypertrophy of the two cell types (A and B) present in the glandular epithelium. In type A cells, the hypertrophy was mainly due to an increase in the size of the lipid compartment. The acinar lumina were filled with lipoproteic substances, and the cells often showed an olocrine secretory pattern. In type B cells, the hypertrophy largely consisted of a marked proliferation of mitochondria endowed with tightly packed cristae, the mitochondrial number being nearly doubled (from 62 to 101/100 microm(2)). Although the average area of individual mitochondria decreased by about 50%, the total area of the mitochondrial compartment increased by about 80% (from 11 to 19/100 microm(2)). This could be ascribed to T(3)-induced mitochondrial proliferation. The morphological and morphometric data correlated well with our biochemical results, which indicated that mitochondrial respiratory activity is increased in hyperthyroid rats. T(3), by influencing the metabolic function of the mitochondrial compartment, induces lipogenesis and the release of secretory product by type A cells. Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins 2 and 3 were expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in the euthyroid rat Harderian gland. T(3) treatment increased the mRNA levels of both uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and UCP3, but the protein level only of UCP3. A possible role for these proteins in the Harderian gland is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Seconda Universita di Napoli, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy. gabriella.chieffi@unina2.it
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chieffi Baccari
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteforte
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raucci
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007473:Ion Channels; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000604391:Ucp2 protein, rat; C000604394:Ucp3 protein, rat; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3; D014284:Triiodothyronine