title: Expression of liver X receptor alpha in rat fetal tissues at different developmental stages.
abstract: The liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear receptor that acts as a sterol sensor and metabolic regulator of cholesterol and lipid homeostasis. Using a novel LXRalpha-specific antibody for immunohistochemistry, we evaluated cellular expression of LXRalpha in fetal rat tissues. In the fetal liver, LXRalpha-positive macrophages appeared at 12 days and their number peaked at 18 days of gestation. In contrast, hepatocytes expressed LXRalpha during the later stage of gestation, suggesting the functional development of the liver during ontogeny. Later, macrophages in spleen and thymus expressed LXRalpha, and some mononuclear cells in the vascular lumen compatible to primitive/fetal macrophages in the fetal circulation were found to express LXRalpha. In vitro, rat monocytes did not express LXRalpha, but monocyte-derived macrophages cultured in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor revealed the distinct expression of LXRalpha in nucleoli. These findings suggest that LXRalpha plays a role in the differentiation of fetal macrophages, particularly hepatic macrophages, in rat development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Cellular Function, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi-dori 1-757, 951-8510, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kazawa
authors.forename: Riuko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maejima
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwanari
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamakubo
authors.forename: Juro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; C000605215:Nr1h3 protein, rat; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear