title: Sex steroid and thyroid hormone receptor expressions in the thyroid of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) during different life stages.
abstract: The expression of estrogen receptors, ESR1 (ERα) and ESR2 (ERβ), and androgen receptors (AR) in the thyroid gland has been reported in few vertebrate species other than a few mammals. This study reports the presence of sex steroid hormone receptors and thyroid receptors (ERα, ERβ, AR, TRα, and TRβ) in the thyroid gland of the American alligator at several life stages. It provides a semiquantification and distribution of ERα in the thyroid follicle cells using an immunohistochemical approach as well as reports quantitative differences in mRNA expression of ERα, ERβ, TRα, TRβ, and AR in the same tissue using quantitative real time-PCR (Q-PCR) with primers designed specifically for alligators. The thyroid tissue of the American alligator expresses ERα, ERβ, and AR at all of the life stages examined here although no statistically significant differences were observed between male and female in thyroid mRNA expression for any of the genes analyzed. No sexual dimorphism was observed in ERα immunostaining. No statistical analysis across life stages were performed due to confounding factor of season.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, 220 Bartram Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. dieldrich@gmail.com
authors.forename: Dieldrich S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bermudez
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Skotko
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Ashley S P
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Boggs
authors.forename: Taisen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Louis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Guillette
mesh_terms: D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D037021:Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D037042:Thyroid Hormone Receptors beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; D037021:Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha; D037042:Thyroid Hormone Receptors beta