title: Fish granulocytes express a constitutively active androgen receptor variant.
abstract: In humans, alternative splicing of androgen receptor (AR) is usually involved in some diseases. However, our knowledge about the presence of AR variants in other species and its importance for immunity is scant. Here, we report the identification of a constitutively active AR variant lacking the ligand-binding domain (LBD), ARΔLBD, in the fish gilthead seabream. ARΔLBD is expressed in the testis and the head-kidney (HK), and its expression varies with the reproductive stage and is correlated with plasma testosterone (T). In addition, ARΔLBD is expressed in acidophilic granulocytes (AGs), which are the functional equivalent of mammalian neutrophils, but not in macrophages, and its expression is modulated by both T and immune stimuli. Notably, AR and ARΔLBD were able to interact, being the activity of AR dominant at all concentrations tested of the ligand. These results reveal a new mechanism for the regulation of neutrophil biology in vertebrates and explain the conflicting results that suggest that androgens are less important than AR in human and mouse neutrophil homeostasis.
authors: Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Carretera de la Azohía s/n, Puerto de Mazarrón, 30860 Murcia, Spain.
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Sánchez-Hernández
authors: Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Carretera de la Azohía s/n, Puerto de Mazarrón, 30860 Murcia, Spain.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Arizcun
authors: Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Carretera de la Azohía s/n, Puerto de Mazarrón, 30860 Murcia, Spain.
authors: Alicia
authors: A
authors: García-Alcázar
authors: Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics, Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Crete, Greece.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Sarropoulou
authors: Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: vmulero@um.es.
authors: Victoriano
authors: V
authors: Mulero
authors: Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: agayala@um.es.
authors: Alfonsa
authors: A
authors: García-Ayala
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D060226:Head Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Alternative splicing; Androgen receptor; Gilthead seabream; Leukocytes; Testis; Testosterone