title: Differential expression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor protein during mouse embryonic development.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that the actions of glucocorticoids in target tissues are critically determined by the expression of not only the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) but also the glucocorticoid-metabolizing enzymes, known as 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 (11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2). To gain insight into the role of glucocorticoids in fetal development, the expression patterns of the two distinct 11beta-HSD isozymes and GR were studied in the mouse embryo from embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5, term = E19) to postnatal day 0.5 (P0.5) by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. 11beta-HSD1 mRNA was detected in the heart as early as E12.5 and maintained thereafter. In the lung and liver, 11beta-HSD1 mRNA was first detected between E14.5 and E16.5, increased to high levels towards term and maintained after birth. Relatively low levels of 11beta-HSD1 mRNA were also detected in the kidney, adrenal glands and gastrointestinal tract at E18.5. However, the mRNA for 11beta-HSD1 was undetectable in all other embryonic tissues including the brain. In contrast, kidney was the only organ that expressed appreciable levels of 11beta-HSD2 mRNA during embryonic life. The level of 11beta-HSD2 mRNA in the kidney increased dramatically in the newborn, which coincided with expression of 11beta-HSD2 mRNA in the whisker follicle, tooth and salivary gland. Distinct from the profiles of 11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2 mRNA, GR protein was detectable in all tissues at all ages studied except for the thymus, salivary gland, and bone. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that tissue- and developmentally-stage specific expression of 11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2 as well as GR occurs in the developing mouse embryo, thus highlighting the importance of these two enzymes and GR in regulating glucocorticoid-mediated maturational events in specific tissues during murine embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecologu, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: V K M
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2