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Hsu BY, Pakanen VM, Boner W, Doligez B, Eeva T, Groothuis TGG, Korpimäki E, Laaksonen T, Lelono A, Monaghan P, Sarraude T, Thomson RL, Tolvanen J, Tschirren B, Vásquez RA, Ruuskanen S. Maternally-transferred thyroid hormones and life-history variation in birds. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1489-1506. [PMID: 35470435 PMCID: PMC9546341 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, thyroid hormones (THs) play an important role in the regulation of growth, development, metabolism, photoperiodic responses and migration. Maternally transferred THs are important for normal early phase embryonic development when embryos are not able to produce endogenous THs. Previous studies have shown that variation in maternal THs within the physiological range can influence offspring phenotype. Given the essential functions of maternal THs in development and metabolism, THs may be a mediator of life‐history variation across species. We tested the hypothesis that differences in life histories are associated with differences in maternal TH transfer across species. Using birds as a model, we specifically tested whether maternally transferred yolk THs covary with migratory status, developmental mode and traits related to pace‐of‐life (e.g. basal metabolic rate, maximum life span). We collected un‐incubated eggs (n = 1–21 eggs per species, median = 7) from 34 wild and captive bird species across 17 families and six orders to measure yolk THs [both triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)], compiled life‐history trait data from the literature and used Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to test our hypotheses. Our models indicated that both concentrations and total amounts of the two main forms of THs (T3 and T4) were higher in the eggs of migratory species compared to resident species, and total amounts were higher in the eggs of precocial species, which have longer prenatal developmental periods, than in those of altricial species. However, maternal yolk THs did not show clear associations with pace‐of‐life‐related traits, such as fecundity, basal metabolic rate or maximum life span. We quantified interspecific variation in maternal yolk THs in birds, and our findings suggest higher maternal TH transfer is associated with the precocial mode of development and migratory status. Whether maternal THs represent a part of the mechanism underlying the evolution of precocial development and migration or a consequence of such life histories is currently unclear. We therefore encourage further studies to explore the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary processes underlying these patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Veli-Matti Pakanen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Healthy and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Blandine Doligez
- Department of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology, CNRS UMR 5558, Université de Lyon 1, France
| | - Tapio Eeva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Asmoro Lelono
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands.,Biology Department, Natural Sciences and Mathematics Faculty, Jember University of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Healthy and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Robert L Thomson
- Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jere Tolvanen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rodrigo A Vásquez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
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Groothuis TG, Kumar N, Hsu B. Explaining discrepancies in the study of maternal effects: the role of context and embryo. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020; 36:185-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Gothié J, Vancamp P, Demeneix B, Remaud S. Thyroid hormone regulation of neural stem cell fate: From development to ageing. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2020; 228:e13316. [PMID: 31121082 PMCID: PMC9286394 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In the vertebrate brain, neural stem cells (NSCs) generate both neuronal and glial cells throughout life. However, their neuro‐ and gliogenic capacity changes as a function of the developmental context. Despite the growing body of evidence on the variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors regulating NSC physiology, their precise cellular and molecular actions are not fully determined. Our review focuses on thyroid hormone (TH), a vital component for both development and adult brain function that regulates NSC biology at all stages. First, we review comparative data to analyse how TH modulates neuro‐ and gliogenesis during vertebrate brain development. Second, as the mammalian brain is the most studied, we highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying TH action in this context. Lastly, we explore how the interplay between TH signalling and cell metabolism governs both neurodevelopmental and adult neurogenesis. We conclude that, together, TH and cellular metabolism regulate optimal brain formation, maturation and function from early foetal life to adult in vertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐David Gothié
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery Montreal Neurological Institute & Hospital, McGill University Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Pieter Vancamp
- CNRS UMR 7221 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris France
| | | | - Sylvie Remaud
- CNRS UMR 7221 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris France
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Abstract
During avian embryonic development, thyroid hormones (THs) coordinate the expression of a multitude of genes thereby ensuring that the correct sequence of cell proliferation, differentiation and maturation is followed in each tissue and organ. Although THs are needed from the start of development, the embryonic thyroid gland only matures around mid-incubation in precocial birds and around hatching in altricial species. Therefore, maternal THs deposited in the egg yolk play an essential role in embryonic development. They are taken up by the embryo throughout its development, from the first day till hatching, and expression of TH regulators such as distributor proteins, transporters, and deiodinases in the yolk sac membrane provide the tools for selective metabolism and transport starting from this level. TH receptors and regulators of local TH availability are expressed in avian embryos in a dynamic and tissue/cell-specific pattern from the first stages studied, as shown in detail in chicken. Maternal hyperthyroidism via TH supplementation as well as injection of THs into the egg yolk increase TH content in embryonic tissues while induction of maternal hypothyroidism by goitrogen treatment results in a decrease. Both increase and decrease of maternal TH availability were shown to alter gene expression in early chicken embryos. Knockdown of the specific TH transporter monocarboxylate transporter 8 at early stages in chicken cerebellum, optic tectum, or retina allowed to reduce local TH availability, interfering with gene expression and confirming that development of the central nervous system (CNS) is highly dependent on maternal THs. While some of the effects on cell proliferation, migration and differentiation seem to be transient, others result in persistent defects in CNS structure. In addition, a number of studies in both precocial and altricial birds showed that injection of THs into the yolk at the start of incubation influences a number of parameters in posthatch performance and fitness. In conclusion, the data presently available clearly indicate that maternal THs play an important role in avian embryonic development, but how exactly their influence on cellular and molecular processes in the embryo is linked to posthatch fitness needs to be further explored.
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Lazcano I, Rodríguez-Ortiz R, Villalobos P, Martínez-Torres A, Solís-Saínz JC, Orozco A. Knock-Down of Specific Thyroid Hormone Receptor Isoforms Impairs Body Plan Development in Zebrafish. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:156. [PMID: 30930855 PMCID: PMC6427925 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of thyroid hormones (THs) in development has been extensively studied, however, the specific molecular mechanisms involved are far from being clear. THs act by binding to TH nuclear receptors (TR) that act as ligand-dependent transcription factors to regulate TH-dependent gene expression. Like vertebrates, zebrafish express different isoforms of functional Tr alpha and beta, some of which can bind alternative ligands like 3,5-T2. In this study, we first analyzed the effects of exogenous T3 and 3,5-T2 exposure during embryogenesis. The percentage of affected embryos was similar to those vehicle-injected, suggesting that the early exposure to low TH levels is not sufficient to elicit effects upon the phenotype of the embryo. We then generated crispants for four isoforms of thr to learn more about the role of these receptors in early development. We found that crispant larvae from thraa and a newly identified l-thrb+, but not thrab and canonical thrb1 showed profound deleterious effects upon symmetry and laterality, suggesting early novel roles for these Tr isoforms in the body plan developmental program. Since critical events that determine cell fate start in the late gastrula, we tested if some genes that are expressed during early developmental stages could indeed be TH targets. We identify early development genes, like sox10 and eve, that were specifically over-expressed in thraa and l-thrb+ crispants, suggesting that these specific thr isoforms function as transcription repressors for these genes, while transcription of zic and ets appear to be thraa and l-thrb+-mediated, respectively. Overall, present results show that TH signaling participates in early zebrafish development and identify Tr isoform-specific mediated regulation of early gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Lazcano
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
- Departmento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Roberto Rodríguez-Ortiz
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
- CONACYT – Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Patricia Villalobos
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos Solís-Saínz
- Departmento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Aurea Orozco
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Aurea Orozco
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Ruuskanen S, Hsu BY. Maternal Thyroid Hormones: An Unexplored Mechanism Underlying Maternal Effects in an Ecological Framework. Physiol Biochem Zool 2018; 91:904-916. [DOI: 10.1086/697380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Vancamp P, Darras VM. Dissecting the role of regulators of thyroid hormone availability in early brain development: Merits and potential of the chicken embryo model. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 459:71-78. [PMID: 28153797 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are important mediators of vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) development, thereby regulating the expression of a wide variety of genes by binding to nuclear TH receptors. TH transporters and deiodinases are both needed to ensure appropriate intracellular TH availability, but the precise function of each of these regulators and their coaction during brain development is only partially understood. Rodent knockout models already provided some crucial insights, but their in utero development severely hampers research regarding the role of TH regulators during early embryonic stages. The establishment of novel gain- and loss-of-function techniques has boosted the position of externally developing non-mammalian vertebrates as research models in developmental endocrinology. Here, we elaborate on the chicken as a model organism to elucidate the function of TH regulators during embryonic CNS development. The fast-developing, relatively big and accessible embryo allows easy experimental manipulation, especially at early stages of brain development. Recent data on the characterisation and spatiotemporal expression pattern of different TH regulators in embryonic chicken CNS have provided the necessary background to dissect the function of each of them in more detail. We highlight some recent advances and important strategies to investigate the role of TH transporters and deiodinases in various CNS structures like the brain barriers, the cerebellum, the retina and the hypothalamus. Exploiting the advantages of this non-classical model can greatly contribute to complete our understanding of the regulation of TH bioavailability throughout embryonic CNS development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Vancamp
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Biology, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Veerle M Darras
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Biology, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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Gothié JD, Demeneix B, Remaud S. Comparative approaches to understanding thyroid hormone regulation of neurogenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 459:104-115. [PMID: 28545819 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (TH) signalling, an evolutionary conserved pathway, is crucial for brain function and cognition throughout life, from early development to ageing. In humans, TH deficiency during pregnancy alters offspring brain development, increasing the risk of cognitive disorders. How TH regulates neurogenesis and subsequent behaviour and cognitive functions remains a major research challenge. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying TH signalling on proliferation, survival, determination, migration, differentiation and maturation have been studied in mammalian animal models for over a century. However, recent data show that THs also influence embryonic and adult neurogenesis throughout vertebrates (from mammals to teleosts). These latest observations raise the question of how TH availability is controlled during neurogenesis and particularly in specific neural stem cell populations. This review deals with the role of TH in regulating neurogenesis in the developing and the adult brain across different vertebrate species. Such evo-devo approaches can shed new light on (i) the evolution of the nervous system and (ii) the evolutionary control of neurogenesis by TH across animal phyla. We also discuss the role of thyroid disruptors on brain development in an evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-David Gothié
- CNRS, UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005 Paris France
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- CNRS, UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005 Paris France.
| | - Sylvie Remaud
- CNRS, UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005 Paris France.
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Hsu BY, Dijkstra C, Darras VM, de Vries B, Groothuis TGG. Maternal thyroid hormones enhance hatching success but decrease nestling body mass in the rock pigeon (Columba livia). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 240:174-181. [PMID: 27793722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) - triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) - are essential for embryonic development in vertebrates. All vertebrate embryos are exposed to THs from maternal origin. As maternal TH levels are known to be essential to embryonic development, the natural variation of maternal THs probably represents a pathway of maternal effects that can modify offspring phenotype. However, potential fitness consequences of variation of maternal TH exposure within the normal physiological range and without confounding effects of the mother have never been experimentally investigated. We experimentally manipulated the levels of yolk T3 and T4 within the physiological range in a species in which the embryo develops outside the mother's body, the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) eggs. Making use of the natural difference of yolk testosterone between the two eggs of pigeon clutches, we were also able to investigate the potential interaction between THs and testosterone. Elevated yolk TH levels enhanced embryonic development and hatching success, and reduced body mass but not tarsus length between day 14 and fledging. The yolk hormones increased plasma T4 concentrations in females but reduced it in males, in line with the effect on metabolic rate at hatching. Plasma concentrations of T3 and testosterone were not significantly affected. The effects of treatment did not differ between eggs with high or low testosterone levels. Our data indicate that natural variation in maternal yolk TH levels affects offspring phenotype and embryonic survival, potentially influencing maternal and chick fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Cor Dijkstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Section of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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Arbogast P, Flamant F, Godement P, Glösmann M, Peichl L. Thyroid Hormone Signaling in the Mouse Retina. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168003. [PMID: 27942035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormone is a crucial regulator of gene expression in the developing and adult retina. Here we sought to map sites of thyroid hormone signaling at the cellular level using the transgenic FINDT3 reporter mouse model in which neurons express β-galactosidase (β-gal) under the control of a hybrid Gal4-TRα receptor when triiodothyronine (T3) and cofactors of thyroid receptor signaling are present. In the adult retina, nearly all neurons of the ganglion cell layer (GCL, ganglion cells and displaced amacrine cells) showed strong β-gal labeling. In the inner nuclear layer (INL), a minority of glycineric and GABAergic amacrine cells showed β-gal labeling, whereas the majority of amacrine cells were unlabeled. At the level of amacrine types, β-gal labeling was found in a large proportion of the glycinergic AII amacrines, but only in a small proportion of the cholinergic/GABAergic 'starburst' amacrines. At postnatal day 10, there also was a high density of strongly β-gal-labeled neurons in the GCL, but only few amacrine cells were labeled in the INL. There was no labeling of bipolar cells, horizontal cells and Müller glia cells at both stages. Most surprisingly, the photoreceptor somata in the outer nuclear layer also showed no β-gal label, although thyroid hormone is known to control cone opsin expression. This is the first record of thyroid hormone signaling in the inner retina of an adult mammal. We hypothesize that T3 levels in photoreceptors are below the detection threshold of the reporter system. The topographical distribution of β-gal-positive cells in the GCL follows the overall neuron distribution in that layer, with more T3-signaling cells in the ventral than the dorsal half-retina.
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Ruuskanen S, Darras VM, Visser ME, Groothuis TGG. Effects of experimentally manipulated yolk thyroid hormone levels on offspring development in a wild bird species. Horm Behav 2016; 81:38-44. [PMID: 27056104 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Maternal effects are a crucial mechanism in a wide array of taxa to generate phenotypic variation, thereby affecting offspring development and fitness. Maternally derived thyroid hormones (THs) are known to be essential for offspring development in mammalian and fish models, but have been largely neglected in avian studies, especially in respect to natural variation and an ecological context. We studied, for the first time in a wild species and population, the effects of maternally derived THs on offspring development, behavior, physiology and fitness-related traits by experimental elevation of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in ovo within the physiological range in great tits (Parus major). We found that elevated yolk TH levels had a sex-specific effect on growth, increasing male and decreasing female growth, relative to controls, and this effect was similar throughout the nestling period. Hatching or fledging success, motor coordination behavior, stress reactivity and resting metabolic rate were not affected by the TH treatment. We conclude that natural variation in maternally derived THs may affect some offspring traits in a wild species. As this is the first study on yolk thyroid hormones in a wild species and population, more such studies are needed to investigate its effects on pre-hatching development, and juvenile and adult fitness before generalizations on the importance of maternally derived yolk thyroid hormones can be made. However, this opens a new, interesting avenue for further research in the field of hormone mediated maternal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Hsu BY, Dijkstra C, Darras VM, de Vries B, Groothuis TGG. Maternal adjustment or constraint: differential effects of food availability on maternal deposition of macro-nutrients, steroids and thyroid hormones in rock pigeon eggs. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:397-411. [PMID: 26843926 PMCID: PMC4729257 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In oviparous species like birds, eggs provide the direct environment in which embryos are developing. Mothers may adjust different egg components in different ways in reaction to environmental cues either to adjust offspring development or because of constraints. In this study, we investigated the effects of food quality and quantity before and during egg laying on three different aspects of egg quality: macro‐nutrients (egg and yolk mass), androgens (testosterone and androstenedione), and thyroid hormones (3,5,3′‐triiodothyronine, T3 and l‐thyroxine, T4), using the rock pigeon (Columba livia). As expected, egg and yolk mass were significantly reduced for the eggs laid under the poor‐food condition, indicating a maternal trade‐off between offspring and self in allocating important resources. We did not find any significant change in yolk testosterone or their within‐clutch pattern over the laying sequence. This is consistent with the fact that, in contrast with nutrients, these hormones are not costly to produce, but does not support the hypothesis that they play a role in adjusting brood size to food conditions. In contrast, we found that T3 levels were higher in the egg yolks under the poor‐food condition whereas the total T4 content was lower. This change could be related to the fact that iodine, the critical constituent of thyroid hormones, might be a limiting factor in the production of this hormone. Given the knowledge that food restriction usually lead to reduction of circulating T3 levels, our results suggested that avian mothers can independently regulate its concentrations in their eggs from their own circulation. The study demonstrates that environmentally induced maternal effects via the egg can be a result of a combination of constrained resources and unconstrained signals and that thyroid hormones might be an interesting case of both. Therefore, this hormone and the interplay of different maternal effects on the offspring phenotype deserve much more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Behavioural Biology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Cor Dijkstra
- Behavioural Biology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Comparative Endocrinology Section of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- Behavioural Biology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Behavioural Biology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
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Li H, Bai B, Zhang Q, Bao Y, Guo J, Chen S, Miao C, Liu X, Zhang T. Ectopic cross-talk between thyroid and retinoic acid signaling: A possible etiology for spinal neural tube defects. Gene 2015; 573:254-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Roman C, Fuior EV, Trusca VG, Kardassis D, Simionescu M, Gafencu AV. Thyroid hormones upregulate apolipoprotein E gene expression in astrocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 468:190-5. [PMID: 26519880 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.10.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a protein mainly involved in lipid metabolism, is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Despite numerous attempts to elucidate apoE gene regulation in the brain, the exact mechanism is still uncovered. The mechanism of apoE gene regulation in the brain involves the proximal promoter and multienhancers ME.1 and ME.2, which evolved by gene duplication. Herein we questioned whether thyroid hormones and their nuclear receptors have a role in apoE gene regulation in astrocytes. Our data showed that thyroid hormones increase apoE gene expression in HTB14 astrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. This effect can be intermediated by the thyroid receptor β (TRβ) which is expressed in these cells. In the presence of triiodothyronine (T3) and 9-cis retinoic acid, in astrocytes transfected to overexpress TRβ and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα), apoE promoter was indirectly activated through the interaction with ME.2. To determine the location of TRβ/RXRα binding site on ME.2, we performed DNA pull down assays and found that TRβ/RXRα complex bound to the region 341-488 of ME.2. This result was confirmed by transient transfection experiments in which a series of 5'- and 3'-deletion mutants of ME.2 were used. These data support the existence of a biologically active TRβ binding site starting at 409 in ME.2. In conclusion, our data revealed that ligand-activated TRβ/RXRα heterodimers bind with high efficiency on tissue-specific distal regulatory element ME.2 and thus modulate apoE gene expression in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Roman
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena V Fuior
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Violeta G Trusca
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Dimitris Kardassis
- University of Crete Medical School and Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology of Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Maya Simionescu
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Anca V Gafencu
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania.
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Préau L, Fini JB, Morvan-Dubois G, Demeneix B. Thyroid hormone signaling during early neurogenesis and its significance as a vulnerable window for endocrine disruption. Biochim Biophys Acta 2014; 1849:112-21. [PMID: 24980696 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Revised: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The essential roles of thyroid hormone (TH) in perinatal brain development have been known for decades. More recently, many of the molecular mechanisms underlying the multiple effects of TH on proliferation, differentiation, migration, synaptogenesis and myelination in the developing nervous system have been elucidated. At the same time data from both epidemiological studies and animal models have revealed that the influence of thyroid signaling on development of the nervous system, extends to all periods of life, from early embryogenesis to neurogenesis in the adult brain. This review focuses on recent insights into the actions of TH during early neurogenesis. A key concept is that, in contrast to the previous ideas that only the unliganded receptor was implicated in these early phases, a critical role of the ligand, T3, is increasingly recognized. These findings are considered in the light of increasing knowledge of cell specific control of T3 availability as a function of deiodinase activity and transporter expression. These requirements for TH in the early stages of neurogenesis take on new relevance given the increasing epidemiological data on adverse effects of TH lack in early pregnancy on children's neurodevelopmental outcome. These ideas lead logically into a discussion on how the actions of TH during the first phases of neurogenesis can be potentially disrupted by gestational iodine lack and/or chemical pollution. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nuclear receptors in animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Préau
- UMR CNRS 7221, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Jean Baptiste Fini
- UMR CNRS 7221, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Ghislaine Morvan-Dubois
- UMR CNRS 7221, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- UMR CNRS 7221, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris, France.
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16
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Van Herck SLJ, Geysens S, Delbaere J, Darras VM. Regulators of thyroid hormone availability and action in embryonic chicken brain development. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 190:96-104. [PMID: 23707378 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are crucial elements in vertebrate brain development. They exert their action mainly through binding of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) to nuclear receptors that directly influence the expression of TH-regulated genes. Intracellular TH action is therefore dependent on both the availability of T3 and its receptors. TH uptake in cells is regulated by specific TH transporters and local activation and inactivation is regulated by deiodinases. This review provides an overview of the general expression pattern of TH transporters, deiodinases and receptors during embryonic chicken brain development and compares it to the situation in mammals. It is clear that THs and their regulators are present in the embryonic brain from the early stages of development, long before the onset of embryonic thyroid gland functioning. The mechanism of TH uptake across the brain barriers during development is only partly understood. At the developing blood-brain-barrier expression of the TH-activating type 2 deiodinase is closely associated with the blood vessels, but contrary to the situation in (adult) mammals no expression of MCT8 or OATP1C1 TH transporters is found at that level in the developing chicken. At the blood-cerebrospinal fluid-barrier co-expression of the TH-inactivating type 3 deiodinase and MCT8 and OATP1C1 is found in birds and mammals. These comparative data show overlapping patterns, pointing to general mechanisms, but also indicate specific interspecies differences that may help to understand species-specific responses to regulator gene knockout/mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn L J Van Herck
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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17
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Abstract
The evolutionary removal of the tadpole from the frog life history is a very successful strategy, particularly in the tropics. These direct developers form limbs and a frog-like head early in embryogenesis, and they have reduced or lost tadpole-specific structures, like gills, a long, coiled intestine, and tadpole teeth and jaws. Despite the apparently continuous development to the frog morphology, the direct developer, Eleutherodactylus coqui, undergoes a cryptic metamorphosis requiring thyroid hormone. As in Xenopus laevis, there is a stimulation by corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and an upregulation of thyroid hormone receptor β (thrb). In addition to changes in skin and muscle, thyroid hormone stimulates yolk utilization for froglet growth from a novel tissue, the nutritional endoderm. The activities of CRF and corticosterone (CORT) in metamorphosis may provide the basis for the multiple evolutionary origins of direct development in anuran amphibians. Potential roles for maternally supplied thyroid hormone and its receptor and for deiodinases in regulating tissue sensitivity to thyroid hormone should be the subjects of future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P Elinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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18
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Bernal J, Morte B. Thyroid hormone receptor activity in the absence of ligand: Physiological and developmental implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1830:3893-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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19
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20
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Fini JB, Le Mével S, Palmier K, Darras VM, Punzon I, Richardson SJ, Clerget-Froidevaux MS, Demeneix BA. Thyroid hormone signaling in the Xenopus laevis embryo is functional and susceptible to endocrine disruption. Endocrinology 2012; 153:5068-81. [PMID: 22968643 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for vertebrate brain development. Most research on TH and neuronal development focuses on late development, mainly the perinatal period in mammals. However, in human infants neuromotor development correlates best with maternal TH levels in the first trimester of pregnancy, suggesting that TH signaling could affect early brain development. Studying TH signaling in early embryogenesis in mammals is experimentally challenging. In contrast, free-living embryos, such as Xenopus laevis, permit physiological experimentation independent of maternal factors. We detailed key elements of TH signaling: ligands, receptors (TR), and deiodinases during early X. laevis development, before embryonic thyroid gland formation. Dynamic profiles for all components were found. Between developmental stages 37 and 41 (~48 h after hatching, coincident with a phase of continuing neurogenesis) significant increases in T(3) levels as well as in mRNA encoding deiodinases and TR occurred. Exposure of embryos at this developmental stage for 24 h to either a TH antagonist, NH-3, or to tetrabromobisphenol A, a flame retardant and known TH disruptor, differentially modulated the expression of a number of TH target genes implicated in neural stem cell function or neural differentiation. Moreover, 24-h exposure to either NH-3 or tetrabromobisphenol A diminished cell proliferation in the brain. Thus, these data show first, that TH signaling exerts regulatory roles in early X. laevis neurogenesis and second, that this period represents a potential window for endocrine disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Fini
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7221, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes CNRS UMR 7221/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Département Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, 75231 Paris, France
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21
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Abstract
Our understanding of thyroid hormone action has been substantially altered by recent clinical observations of thyroid signaling defects in syndromes of hormone resistance and in a broad range of conditions, including profound mental retardation, obesity, metabolic disorders, and a number of cancers. The mechanism of thyroid hormone action has been informed by these clinical observations as well as by animal models and has influenced the way we view the role of local ligand availability; tissue and cell-specific thyroid hormone transporters, corepressors, and coactivators; thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoform-specific action; and cross-talk in metabolic regulation and neural development. In some cases, our new understanding has already been translated into therapeutic strategies, especially for treating hyperlipidemia and obesity, and other drugs are in development to treat cardiac disease and cancer and to improve cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A Brent
- Department of Medicine, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA.
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22
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Geysens S, Ferran JL, Van Herck SLJ, Tylzanowski P, Puelles L, Darras VM. Dynamic mRNA distribution pattern of thyroid hormone transporters and deiodinases during early embryonic chicken brain development. Neuroscience 2012; 221:69-85. [PMID: 22771619 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.06.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2012] [Revised: 06/18/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Maternal thyroid hormones (THs) are important in early brain development long before the onset of embryonic TH secretion, but information about the regulation of TH availability in the brain at these early stages is still limited. We therefore investigated in detail the mRNA distribution pattern of the TH activating type 2 and inactivating type 3 deiodinases (D2 and D3) and the TH transporters, organic anion transporting polypeptide 1c1 (Oatp1c1) and monocarboxylate transporter 8 (Mct8), in chicken embryonic brain as well as in retina and inner ear from day 3 to day 10 of development. Oatp1c1, Mct8 and D3 are expressed in the choroid plexus and its precursors allowing selective uptake of THs at the blood-cerebrospinal fluid-barrier with subsequent inactivation of excess hormone. In contrast, the developing blood-brain-barrier does not express Oatp1c1 or Mct8 but appears to be a site for TH activation by D2. Expression of D3 in several sensory brain centers may serve as protection against premature TH action. Expression of D2 and Mct8 but not D3 in the developing pituitary gland allows accumulation of active THs even at early stages. Mct8 is widely expressed in gray matter throughout the brain. This is the first comprehensive study on the dynamic distribution pattern of TH-transporters and deiodinases at stages of embryonic brain development when only maternal THs are available. It provides the essential background for further research aimed at understanding early developmental processes depending on maternal THs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Geysens
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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23
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Abstract
The current model amphibian, Xenopus laevis, develops rapidly in water to a tadpole which metamorphoses into a frog. Many amphibians deviate from the X. laevis developmental pattern. Among other adaptations, their embryos develop in foam nests on land or in pouches on their mother's back or on a leaf guarded by a parent. The diversity of developmental patterns includes multinucleated oogenesis, lack of RNA localization, huge non-pigmented eggs, and asynchronous, irregular early cleavages. Variations in patterns of gastrulation highlight the modularity of this critical developmental period. Many species have eliminated the larva or tadpole and directly develop to the adult. The wealth of developmental diversity among amphibians coupled with the wealth of mechanistic information from X. laevis permit comparisons that provide deeper insights into developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P Elinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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24
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Van Herck SLJ, Geysens S, Delbaere J, Tylzanowski P, Darras VM. Expression profile and thyroid hormone responsiveness of transporters and deiodinases in early embryonic chicken brain development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 349:289-97. [PMID: 22120204 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 10/21/2011] [Accepted: 11/12/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
We used the chick embryo to study the mechanisms regulating intracellular TH availability in developing brain. TH-transporters OATP1C1 and MCT8, and deiodinases D1, D2, and D3 were expressed in a region-specific way, well before the onset of endogenous TH secretion. Between day 4 and 10 of development MCT8 and D2 mRNA levels increased, while OATP1C1 and D3 mRNA levels decreased. D2 and D3 mRNAs were translated into active protein, while no D1 activity was detectable. Injection of THs into the yolk 24h before sampling increased TH levels in the brain and resulted in decreased OATP1C1 and increased MCT8 expression in 4-day-old embryos. A compensatory response in deiodinase activity was only observed at day 8. We conclude that THs are active in the early embryonic brain and TH-transporters and deiodinases can regulate their availability. However, the absence of clear compensatory mechanisms at day 4 makes the brain more vulnerable for changes in maternal TH supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn L J Van Herck
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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25
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Darras VM, Van Herck SLJ, Heijlen M, De Groef B. Thyroid hormone receptors in two model species for vertebrate embryonic development: chicken and zebrafish. J Thyroid Res 2011; 2011:402320. [PMID: 21760979 PMCID: PMC3134294 DOI: 10.4061/2011/402320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chicken and zebrafish are two model species regularly used to study the role of thyroid hormones in vertebrate development. Similar to mammals, chickens have one thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα) and one TRβ gene, giving rise to three TR isoforms: TRα, TRβ2, and TRβ0, the latter with a very short amino-terminal domain. Zebrafish also have one TRβ gene, providing two TRβ1 variants. The zebrafish TRα gene has been duplicated, and at least three TRα isoforms are expressed: TRαA1-2 and TRαB are very similar, while TRαA1 has a longer carboxy-terminal ligand-binding domain. All these TR isoforms appear to be functional, ligand-binding receptors. As in other vertebrates, the different chicken and zebrafish TR isoforms have a divergent spatiotemporal expression pattern, suggesting that they also have distinct functions. Several isoforms are expressed from the very first stages of embryonic development and early chicken and zebrafish embryos respond to thyroid hormone treatment with changes in gene expression. Future studies in knockdown and mutant animals should allow us to link the different TR isoforms to specific processes in embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerle M Darras
- Division Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Biology Department, Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, K.U.Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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26
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Ho DH, Reed WL, Burggren WW. Egg yolk environment differentially influences physiological and morphological development of broiler and layer chicken embryos. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 214:619-28. [PMID: 21270311 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.046714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Maternal effects are important in epigenetic determination of offspring phenotypes during all life stages. In the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), transgenerational transfer of egg yolk factors may set the stage for morphological and physiological phenotypic differences observed among breeds. To investigate the effect of breed-specific yolk composition on embryonic broiler and layer chicken phenotypes, we employed an ex ovo, xenobiotic technique that allowed the transfer of broiler and layer chicken embryos from their natural yolks to novel yolk environments. Embryonic day two broiler embryos developing on broiler yolk culture medium (YCM) had significantly higher heart rates than layer embryos developing on layer YCM (176±7 beats min(-1) and 147±7 beats min(-1), respectively). Broiler embryos developing on layer YCM exhibited heart rates typical of layer embryos developing normally on layer YCM. However, layer embryo heart rates were not affected by development on broiler YCM. Unlike O(2) consumption, development rate and body mass of embryos were significantly affected by exposure to different yolk types, with both broiler and layer embryos displaying traits that reflected yolk source rather than embryo genotype. Analysis of hormone concentrations of broiler and layer egg yolks revealed that testosterone concentrations were higher in broiler yolk (4.63±2.02 pg mg(-1) vs 3.32±1.92 pg mg(-1)), whereas triiodothyronine concentrations were higher in layer yolk (1.05±0.18 pg mg(-1) vs 0.46±0.22 pg mg(-1)). Thus, a complex synergistic effect of breed-specific genotype and yolk environment exists early in chicken development, with yolk thyroid hormone and yolk testosterone as potential mediators of the physiological and morphological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao H Ho
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA.
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27
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Hamada M, Shimozono N, Ohta N, Satou Y, Horie T, Kawada T, Satake H, Sasakura Y, Satoh N. Expression of neuropeptide- and hormone-encoding genes in the Ciona intestinalis larval brain. Dev Biol 2011; 352:202-14. [PMID: 21237141 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 01/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite containing only approximately 330 cells, the central nervous system (CNS) of Ciona intestinalis larvae has an architecture that is similar to the vertebrate CNS. Although only vertebrates have a distinct hypothalamus-the source of numerous neurohormone peptides that play pivotal roles in the development, function, and maintenance of various neuronal and endocrine systems, it is suggested that the Ciona brain contains a region that corresponds to the vertebrate hypothalamus. To identify genes expressed in the brain, we isolated brain vesicles using transgenic embryos carrying Ci-β-tubulin(promoter)::Kaede, which resulted in robust Kaede expression in the larval CNS. The associated transcriptome was investigated using microarray analysis. We identified 565 genes that were preferentially expressed in the larval brain. Among these genes, 11 encoded neurohormone peptides including such hypothalamic peptides as gonadotropin-releasing hormone and oxytocin/vasopressin. Six of the identified peptide genes had not been previously described. We also found that genes encoding receptors for some of the peptides were expressed in the brain. Interestingly, whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that most of the peptide genes were expressed in the ventral brain. This catalog of the genes expressed in the larval brain should help elucidate the evolution, development, and functioning of the chordate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayuko Hamada
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Corporation, Onna, Okinawa 904-0412, Japan.
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28
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Darras VM, Van Herck SLJ, Geysens S, Reyns GE. Involvement of thyroid hormones in chicken embryonic brain development. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2009; 163:58-62. [PMID: 19063893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2008.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2008] [Revised: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 11/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) play an important role in vertebrate brain development by stimulating and coordinating cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Several TH-responsive genes involved in these processes have been identified, but the information is mainly derived from studies of late brain development, while relatively little is known about the more early stages, prior to the onset of embryonic TH secretion. We have chosen the chick embryo to investigate the role of THs in both late and early brain development. T(4) and T(3) are found in chicken brain from the earliest stages tested (day 4). Indirect clues for the involvement of T(3) in brain development are found in the ontogenetic expression profiles of proteins regulating its bioavailability and action, including TH transporters, deiodinases and TH-receptors. All of them are expressed in whole embryos tested on day 2 of incubation and in developing brain tested from day 4 onwards. Their distribution patterns vary over time and according to the brain area and cell type studied. Hypothyroidism induced during the second half of incubation disturbs cell migration in the cerebellum, providing more direct evidence for the requirement for THs during the later stages of brain development. Direct morphological proof for the requirement for THs during the first half of incubation is still missing, but microarray analysis of telencephalon shows a clearly divergent gene expression profile in hypothyroid embryos. In vivo knockdown of TH transporters and deiodinases in chick embryos cultured ex ovo provides an excellent tool to study the role of THs in early brain development in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, box 2464, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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29
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Sechman A, Pawlowska K, Rzasa J. Influence of triiodothyronine (T(3)) on secretion of steroids and thyroid hormone receptor expression in chicken ovarian follicles. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2009; 37:61-73. [PMID: 19394185 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2009.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2008] [Revised: 02/13/2009] [Accepted: 03/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The present study was designed to (1) assess the role of triiodothyronine (T(3)) with regard to in vitro steroid hormone secretion by chicken ovarian follicles; (2) determine whether T(3) influences the in vivo function of the pituitary-ovarian axis in the hen; and (3) detect expression of thyroid hormone receptor (TR) mRNA in chicken ovarian follicles. In the first experiment, laying hens were decapitated 22.5h before ovulation. White prehierarchical follicles (1-8mm) and fragments of theca and granulosa layers of the 3 largest yellow preovulatory follicles F3-F1 (22-35mm) were incubated in a medium supplemented with T(3) (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, or 1000ng/mL) or ovine luteinizing hormone (LH) (10ng/mL) in combination with doses of T(3) (1, 10, and 100ng/mL). Triiodothyronine decreased basal and LH-stimulated estradiol secretion by white follicles and the theca layer of all preovulatory follicles. On the other hand, it increased progesterone secretion by F2 and F1 follicles. In the second experiment, hens were injected 1h after ovulation with saline (control) or T(3) (10microg/100g body weight, intraperitoneally). Results indicated that exogenous T(3) decreased plasma concentrations of LH and estradiol and increased plasma concentrations of progesterone. In the third experiment, using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, expression of thyroid hormone receptor (TRalpha and TRbeta0), mRNA was detected in all of the ovarian compartments. The expression of TRalpha mRNA was relatively greater in comparison with TRbeta0. There were no differences between white ovarian follicles in the expression of TRalpha and TRbeta0 mRNA. A considerably higher TRalpha and lower TRbeta0 expression was detected in the granulosa layer of preovulatory follicles in comparison with the theca layer. In conclusion, the data indicate that thyroid hormones acting via nuclear receptors are involved in regulation of the pituitary-ovarian axis and processes associated with follicle growth and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sechman
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
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Morvan-Dubois G, Demeneix BA, Sachs LM. Xenopus laevis as a model for studying thyroid hormone signalling: from development to metamorphosis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2008; 293:71-9. [PMID: 18657589 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2008] [Revised: 06/03/2008] [Accepted: 06/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Amphibian metamorphosis is a well-established model for dissecting the mechanisms underlying thyroid hormone (TH) action. How the pro-hormone, T(4), the active form, T(3), the deiodinases and the nuclear receptors (TRs) contribute to metamorphosis in Xenopus has been extensively investigated. Our recent work has concentrated on two key ideas in TH signalling in Xenopus: first, that there could be active roles for both liganded and unliganded receptors, and second, that ligand availability is a determining factor orchestrating these actions and is tightly controlled in target tissues. Recently, we addressed these questions at stages preceding metamorphosis, i.e. during embryogenesis, before differentiation of a functional thyroid gland. We show that repression by unliganded TR is essential to craniofacial and eye development during early development and that at these stages all three deiodinases are active. These results open new perspectives on the potential roles of TH signalling during embryogenesis.
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Abstract
This article reviews thyroid function and its hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis control in birds with emphasis on the similarities and differences in thyroid function compared to mammals and other vertebrate classes. Thyroid hormones are important in metabolism and the thermogenesis required for homeothermy in birds, as in mammals, the other homeothermic class of vertebrates. Thyroid hormones play important roles in development and growth in birds, as is the case for all vertebrate classes. The developmental effects of thyroid hormones in birds are presented in the context of differences in precocial and altricial patterns of development and growth with emphasis on oviparous development. The sections on thyroid hormone actions include discussion of effects on the development of a number of tissue types as well as on seasonal organismal processes and interactions of the thyroid axis with reproduction. The current picture of how environmental chemicals may disrupt avian thyroid function is relatively limited and is presented in the context of the assessment endpoints that have been used to date. These endpoints are categorized as thyroid and HPT axis endpoints versus target organ endpoints. The final section discusses two recommended assay protocols, the avian two-generation toxicity assay and the avian one-generation assay, and whether these protocols can evaluate thyroid disruption in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- F M Anne McNabb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0406, USA.
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32
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Abstract
Peptide hormones, usually considered to be endocrine factors responsible for communication between tissues remotely located from each other, are increasingly being found to be synthesized in developing tissues, where they act locally. Several hormones are now known to be produced in developing tissues that are unrelated to the endocrine gland of origin in the adult. These hormones are synthesized locally, and are active as differentiation and survival factors, before the developing adult endocrine tissue becomes functional. There is increasing evidence for paracrine and/or autocrine actions for these factors during development, thus, placing them among the conventional growth and differentiation factors. We review the evidence for the view that thyroid hormones, growth hormone, prolactin, insulin, and parathyroid hormone-related protein are developmental growth and differentiation factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmond J Sanders
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Yoshizato K. Molecular Mechanism and Evolutional Significance of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Interactions in the Body‐ and Tail‐Dependent Metamorphic Transformation of Anuran Larval Skin. International Review of Cytology 2007; 260:213-60. [PMID: 17482907 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(06)60005-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis of an anuran larva is composed of apical and skein cells that are both mitotically active and self-renewed through larval life. In contrast, the epidermis of an adult frog, with typical stratified squamous epithelium composed of germinative basal, spinous, granular, and cornified cells, is histologically identical to the mammalian epidermis. Two important issues have not yet been addressed in the study of the development of anuran skin. One is the origin of adult basal cells in the larval epidermis and the other is the mechanism by which larval basal cells are transformed into adult basal cells in a region- (body- and tail-) dependent manner. The cell lineage relationship between the larval and adult epidermal cells was determined by examining the expression profiles of several genes that are expressed specifically in larval and/or adult epidermal cells and differentiation profiles of larval basal cells cultured in the presence of thyroid hormone (TH). Histological analyses using several markers led to the identification of the skin transformation center (STC) where the conversion of larval skin to the adult counterpart is taking place. The STC emerges at a specific place in the body skin and at a specific stage of larval development. The STC progressively "moves" into and "invades" the adjacent larval region of the trunk skin as a larva develops, converting the larval skin into the preadult skin, but never into the tail region. The larva to preadult skin conversion requires an epidermal-mesenchymal interaction. The genesis of preadult basal cells is suppressed in the tail epidermis due to the influence of underlying mesenchyme in the tail region. PDGF signaling is one of the molecular cues of epidermal-mesenchymal interactions. In addition, a unique feature of anuran skin metamorphosis is presented referring to the skin of other vertebrates. Histological comparisons of the skin among vertebrate species strongly suggested a similarity between the anuran larval skin and the teleost fish adult skin and between the anuran adult skin and the adult skin of other tetrapod species. Based on these similarities, the evolutional significance of anuran skin metamorphosis is proposed. Finally, studies are reviewed that reveal the molecular mechanism of anuran metamorphosis in relation to TH-TR-TRE signaling. The results of these studies suggest new aspects of the biological significance of TH, and also enable us to envision concerted regulations of the expression of a gene in the frame of the gene network responsible for metamorphic remodeling of larval tissues. The present review will contribute to an understanding of the molecular mechanism of region-dependent skin development of anurans from not only a metamorphic but also from an evolutional point of view, and will provide a new way to understand the biological significance of TH in anurans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsutoshi Yoshizato
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
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34
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McNabb FM. Reprint of "Avian thyroid development and adaptive plasticity" [Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 147, 93-101]. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2006; 148:290-8. [PMID: 16938499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2006.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2005] [Revised: 12/12/2005] [Accepted: 12/13/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Precocial and altricial modes of avian development are characterized by different degrees of maturation and physiological capabilities at hatching. In precocial birds, thyroid function and its control are well developed during the latter part of incubation and hatchlings exhibit metabolic responses to cooling and relatively mature sensory and locomotor capabilities. In altricial birds, thyroid function shows little maturation until after hatch as also is the case for thermoregulatory, sensory, and motor functions. This review describes the patterns of precocial and altricial thyroid development, their hypothalamic-pituitary control, extrathyroidal control of hormone activation and deactivation, and target tissue effects during development. Our knowledge is greatest for precocial galliform birds although the organismal picture of thyroid development has been investigated in several altricial avian species.
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35
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Abstract
Precocial and altricial modes of avian development are characterized by different degrees of maturation and physiological capabilities at hatching. In precocial birds, thyroid function and its control are well developed during the latter part of incubation and hatchlings exhibit metabolic responses to cooling and relatively mature sensory and locomotor capabilities. In altricial birds, thyroid function shows little maturation until after hatch as also is the case for thermoregulatory, sensory, and motor functions. This review describes the patterns of precocial and altricial thyroid development, their hypothalamic-pituitary control, extrathyroidal control of hormone activation and deactivation, and target tissue effects during development. Our knowledge is greatest for precocial galliform birds although the organismal picture of thyroid development has been investigated in several altricial avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- F M Anne McNabb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061-0406, USA.
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36
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Nobakht M, Zirak A, Mehdizadeh M, Tabatabaeei P. Teratogenic effects of retinoic acid on neurulation in mice embryos. Pathophysiology 2006; 13:57-61. [PMID: 16102951 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2005.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2004] [Revised: 03/03/2005] [Accepted: 07/05/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acids (RA) are natural chemicals that exert a hormone-like activity and a variety of biological effects on early development of mouse. In this study, the probable teratogenic effects of RA on CNS have been investigated in pregnant mice (n = 20) divided into four groups: (1) untreated controls, (2) controls which received a single dose of DMSO, (3) a group that received 40 mg/kg, and (4) a group that received 60 mg/kg of all-trans RA in DMSO, respectively on the eighth day of gestation. Embryos whose dams had received 40 and 60 mg/kg doses of RA, showed malformations and decreased size. At 40 mg/kg dosage level, 50% of the embryos had closed neural tubes while at 60 mg/kg dosage level the neural tube failed to close. The neuroblast mantle layers were disorganized in the 40 mg/kg and even more in the 60 mg/kg exposed group compared to the controls. In mitosis, the density of chromatin was increased in the 60 mg/kg dose group. Compared to controls the 40 and 60 mg/kg dose groups of RA treated dams decreases in the luminal longitudinal and internal measures were observed. Also the thickness of ventricular, mantle and marginal layers was smaller. Wide intercellular spaces due to the degenerated cells at high doses of RA as well as an accumulation of intercellular fluid were observed. Therefore, the wedge shape of neuroepithelium was abolished, preventing the elevation of the neural wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Nobakht
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Iran University Of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6183, Tehran, Iran.
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37
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Abstract
The death of different types of cells occurs in regressing or remodeling organs to transform from a tadpole to a frog in both temporally and spatially regulated manners during amphibian metamorphosis. This morphological change is drastic and visible with the naked eye. This review summarizes our current understanding of the basic mechanism of the cell death during the metamorphosis. It focuses in particular on the tail resorption and the remodeling of intestine and skin where programmed cell death is executed by thyroid hormone-signaling through the cell-autonomous response (suicide) and the degradation of the extracellular matrix (murder).
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Nakajima
- Division of Embryology and Genetics, Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8526, Japan
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38
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Abstract
Thyroid hormone is essential for brain development. T(4) has to be converted to T(3) for efficient binding to thyroid hormone receptors. Type 2 deiodinase (D2) is the key enzyme that allows T(3) generation in the brain. To elucidate the onset and localization of T(3) production in the brain, we studied the changes of D2 activity, mRNA content, and the distribution of D2 mRNA in the brain of chicken embryos before and after the onset of thyroid function. D2 activity was detectable in the brain at all stages studied from embryonic day (E)7 to E15 and increased significantly with time. The wild-type chicken D2 transcript was detectable at all those stages by RT-PCR. The amount of D2 mRNA in the brain increased approximately 14-fold from E10 to E17 as assessed by Northern blot. Week D2 hybridization signal could be detected by in situ hybridization at E8 in cell clusters throughout the brain, and its intensity markedly increased to E15. Interestingly, no D2 expression was detected in hypothalamic tanycytes at these embryonic stages. However, D2 hybridization signal was observed in the wall of the third ventricle of adult chicken posterior to the rostral pole of the median eminence in the location typical for tanycytes, whereas D2 signal in other localizations was decreased throughout the brain. Our data suggest that D2 contributes to T(3) content of the developing chicken brain even before the onset of thyroid function. Furthermore, redistribution of D2 mRNA expression was observed during the development of the chicken brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs Gereben
- Laboratory of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1083, Hungary.
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39
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Abstract
Thyroid hormone profoundly influences the development of the vertebrate nervous system. The thyroid hormone receptor beta gene (Thrb) is a key mediator of many of these actions. The Thrb gene is complex, spanning up to 400 kb in mammals, and differentially expresses distinct receptor subtypes through independent tissue-specific promoters and alternative splicing. These receptors serve a range of functions in the brain as well as particularly sensitive functions in the auditory and visual sensory systems. The Thrb gene illustrates how versatility in neurodevelopmental control can be achieved at the receptor level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwan Jones
- Department of Human Genetics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
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40
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Liu YY, Tachiki KH, Brent GA. A targeted thyroid hormone receptor alpha gene dominant-negative mutation (P398H) selectively impairs gene expression in differentiated embryonic stem cells. Endocrinology 2002; 143:2664-72. [PMID: 12072400 DOI: 10.1210/endo.143.7.8906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone and retinoic acid (RA) are essential for normal neural development in vivo, yet all in vitro differentiation strategies of embryonic stem (ES) cells use only RA. We developed a novel differentiation strategy of mouse ES cells using T(3). A dominant-negative knock-in point mutation (P398H) was introduced into the thyroid hormone receptor alpha gene to determine the influence of T(3) on ES cell differentiation. Differentiation promoted by T(3) (1 nM), RA (1 microM), or combined T(3)/RA was assessed in wild-type (wt) and mutant (m) ES cells on the basis of neuronal-specific gene expression and cell cycle. T(3) alone stimulated neural differentiation in a similar fashion as that seen with RA in both wtES and mES cells. Expression of neurogranin and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV mRNA (identified in vivo as T(3)-regulated genes), however, was markedly reduced in mES, compared with wtES cells. RA treatment enhanced apoptosis, significantly greater than that seen with T(3) stimulation. T(3) treatment given with RA significantly reduced the apoptotic effects of RA, an effect not seen in mES cells. T(3)-induced ES cell neural differentiation of thyroid hormone alpha mutant and wtES cells provides an in vitro model to study T(3)-dependent gene regulation in neural development. This system could also be used to identify novel T(3)-regulated genes. The modulation of the apoptotic effects of RA by T(3) may have implications for stem cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yun Liu
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory and Research Service, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, 90073, USA
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41
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Abstract
Recent studies have provided insights into the neurodevelopmental functions of thyroid hormone signaling. The nuclear thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors and a variety of TR isotypes, generated by two genes, mediate distinct processes. In addition, deiodinase enzymes that regulate levels of the main active form of thyroid hormone, T3, are likely to cooperate closely with TRs in specifying a localized and timely response to thyroid hormones in target tissues. Some of the most sensitive processes controlled by these pathways are in the auditory and visual sensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Forrest
- Department of Human Genetics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10029, USA.
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42
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Abstract
Thyroid hormones have been implicated as important regulators of teleost development. To gain a better understanding of the potential roles of the thyroid system in salmonids a genomic clone which encoded rainbow trout TR-alpha was isolated. This clone exhibited highest amino acid identity to Japanese flounder TR-alphaB (94%) and zebrafish TR-alpha1 (94%). Oligonucleotides were designed against the rainbow trout sequence and the complete coding region of Atlantic salmon TR-alpha was isolated by RACE-PCR. The Atlantic salmon sequence exhibited highest amino acid identity to rainbow trout TR-alpha (98%), Japanese flounder TR-alphaB (93%), and zebrafish TR-alpha1 (90%). Atlantic salmon TR-alpha exhibited the classic modular structure associated with members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and consisted of a divergent A/B domain while the DNA and ligand-binding domains were highly conserved to other teleost TR proteins. Temporal expression from the rainbow trout TR-alpha gene was monitored by semiquantitative RT-PCR at selected stages during rainbow trout embryonic and larval development. High levels of maternal transcripts were present at cleavage (Stage 6) which were rapidly degraded by gastrulation (Stage 13). Low levels of TR-alpha expression were then detected during organogenesis (Stages 20, 24, 26, 29, and 31). A peak in mRNA levels was observed at hatch (Stage 32) after which levels rose in a gradual manner during larval development (Stages 33, 34, 35, and 36) to reach maximal values at first feeding (Stage 37). These results suggest that the thyroid axis is functional and that embryonic and larval rainbow trout are at least capable of responding to thyroid hormones. These observations implicate the thyroid system as being an important regulator of salmonid development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwan Jones
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Biomedical Sciences Building, Cardiff, CF10 3US, United Kingdom
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43
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Fan M, Mi R, Yew DT, Chan WY. Analysis of gene expression following sciatic nerve crush and spinal cord hemisection in the mouse by microarray expression profiling. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2001; 21:497-508. [PMID: 11860187 DOI: 10.1023/a:1013867306555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
1. The responses of periphery (PNS) and central nervous systems (CNS) towards nerve injury are different: while injured mammalian periphery nerons can successfully undergo regeneration, axons in the central nervous system are usually not able to regenerate. 2. In the present study, the genes which were differentially expressed in the PNS and CNS following nerve injury were identified and compared by microarray profiling techniques. 3. Sciatic nerve crush and hemisection of the spinal cord of adult mice were used as the models for nerve injury in PNS and CNS respectivey. 4. It was found that of all the genes examined, 14% (80/588) showed changes in expression following either PNS or CNS injury, and only 3% (18/588) showed changes in both types of injuries. 5. Among all the differentially expressed genes, only 8% (6/80) exhibited similar changes in gene expression (either up- or down-regulation) following injury in both PNS and CNS nerve injuries. 6. Our results indicated that microarray expression profiling is an efficient and useful method to identify genes that are involved in the regeneration process following nerve injuries, and several genes which are differentially expressed in the PNS and/or CNS following nerve injuries were identified in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fan
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Academy of Military Science, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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44
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Oofusa K, Tooi O, Kashiwagi A, Kashiwagi K, Kondo Y, Watanabe Y, Sawada T, Fujikawa K, Yoshizato K. Expression of thyroid hormone receptor betaA gene assayed by transgenic Xenopus laevis carrying its promoter sequences. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2001; 181:97-110. [PMID: 11476944 DOI: 10.1016/s0303-7207(01)00529-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The responsiveness of thyroid hormone responsive element (TRE)-containing promoter sequence to thyroid hormone (TH) was studied utilizing Xenopus laevis carrying a transgene containing 5'-upstream region of TRbetaA1 gene and green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene. EGFP-expression was seen first in neurulae, which continued to stage 45, then became weak, and again started to increase at the prometamorphic stage, culminating at the metamorphic climax stage. Immunohistochemistry identified eyes, viscera, and muscles as the EGFP-expressing larval tissues. The treatment of premetamorphic tadpoles with TH induced the precocious EGFP-expression. We also showed that the transgenic Xenopus adults were responsive to exogenous TH, a high responsiveness being seen in brain, small intestine, kidney, and bone. TRbeta-expression in the embryo, larva, and adult was verified by Western blotting. Thus, TH not only regulates the metamorphosis, but also might play some biological role(s) in embryos and adults.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Blotting, Western
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- Fluorescence
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/drug effects
- Genes, Reporter/genetics
- Immunohistochemistry
- Larva/drug effects
- Larva/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics
- Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/genetics
- Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/immunology
- Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/metabolism
- Response Elements/genetics
- Transgenes/genetics
- Triiodothyronine/pharmacology
- Xenopus laevis/embryology
- Xenopus laevis/genetics
- Xenopus laevis/growth & development
- Xenopus laevis/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- K Oofusa
- Tissue Regeneration Project, Hiroshima Prefecture Collaboration of Regional Entities for the Advancement of Technological Excellence, Japan
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45
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Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) play critical roles in the differentiation, growth, metabolism, and physiological function of virtually all tissues. TH binds to receptors that are ligand-regulatable transcription factors belonging to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Tremendous progress has been made recently in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie TH action. In this review, we present the major advances in our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of TH action and their implications for TH action in specific tissues, resistance to thyroid hormone syndrome, and genetically engineered mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Yen
- Molecular Regulation and Neuroendocrinology Section, Clinical Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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46
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Nowell MA, Power DM, Canario AV, Llewellyn L, Sweeney GE. Characterization of a sea bream (Sparus aurata) thyroid hormone receptor-beta clone expressed during embryonic and larval development. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2001; 123:80-9. [PMID: 11551120 DOI: 10.1006/gcen.2001.7649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A clone encoding thyroid hormone receptor-beta (TR-beta) was isolated from a sea bream (Sparus aurata) ovary cDNA library. Sea bream (sb)TR-beta is closely related to its counterparts from other vertebrates and, like them, preferentially binds T3 rather than T4. However, the putative sbTR-beta protein contains a nine-amino-acid insert that is also present in the corresponding proteins from flounder and salmon but absent in TR-betas from zebrafish and terrestrial vertebrates. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that sbTR-beta transcripts begin to accumulate during gastrulation and increase markedly in quantity up to the period around hatch (ca. 40 h postfertilization) before declining slightly. In adult tissues, TR-beta mRNA was present in approximately equal quantities in heart, intestine, brain, kidney, skeletal muscle, liver, and gill. The significance of the relatively strong expression of TR-beta during sea bream embryogenesis is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Nowell
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
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47
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Liu YW, Lo LJ, Chan WK. Temporal expression and T3 induction of thyroid hormone receptors alpha1 and beta1 during early embryonic and larval development in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2000; 159:187-95. [PMID: 10687864 DOI: 10.1016/s0303-7207(99)00193-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The effects of thyroid hormones on metabolism and development are mediated by thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). We report the cloning and characterization of a TR beta1 cDNA from zebrafish. Southern blot analysis revealed that there is a single genomic locus for the TR beta gene, while the TR alpha gene potentially has two loci. Multiple TR alpha and TR beta transcripts were detected in adult tissues. Using a semiquantitative RT-PCR assay, zygotic expression of TR alpha1 and TR beta1 were shown to occur before the midblastula transition stage. In transiently transfected HeLa cells, TR alpha1 displayed constitutive transactivation in the absence of ligands, which was slightly enhanced by triiodothyronine (T3). The transactivating activity of TR beta1 was strictly ligand-dependent and repressed in the absence of T3. Finally, the T3 induction of TR alpha1 and TR beta1 mRNAs was demonstrated in zebrafish embryos and larvae. The auto-induction of TR alpha1 and TR beta1 may serve a regulatory role during the embryonic and larval development of zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y W Liu
- Laboratory of Fish Biology, Institute of Molecular Agrobiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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48
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Abstract
Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) play a central role in mediating the actions of thyroid hormone in development and homeostasis in vertebrate species. The TRs are nuclear receptors that act as ligand-regulated transcription factors. There are two TR genes (TRalpha and TRbeta), each capable of generating different variant products, suggesting a potentially complex array of TR pathways. Targeted mutagenesis in the mouse has indicated that there are specific individual functions for the TR genes in vivo. The deletion of combinations of TRalpha and TRbeta variants has revealed that additional functions are convergently regulated by both TR genes and indicates that control of an extended range of functions is facilitated by a network of specific and common TR pathways. The TR-deficient mouse models have allowed investigation of the TR pathways underlying many functions of thyroid hormone and provide a unique perspective on receptor-mediated mechanisms of biological control.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Forrest
- Department of Human Genetics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
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49
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Gauthier K, Chassande O, Plateroti M, Roux JP, Legrand C, Pain B, Rousset B, Weiss R, Trouillas J, Samarut J. Different functions for the thyroid hormone receptors TRalpha and TRbeta in the control of thyroid hormone production and post-natal development. EMBO J 1999; 18:623-31. [PMID: 9927422 PMCID: PMC1171155 DOI: 10.1093/emboj/18.3.623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological activities of thyroid hormones are thought to be mediated by receptors generated by the TRalpha and TRbeta loci. The existence of several receptor isoforms suggests that different functions are mediated by specific isoforms and raises the possibility of functional redundancies. We have inactivated both TRalpha and TRbeta genes by homologous recombination in the mouse and compared the phenotypes of wild-type, and single and double mutant mice. We show by this method that the TRbeta receptors are the most potent regulators of the production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). However, in the absence of TRbeta, the products of the TRalpha gene can fulfill this function as, in the absence of any receptors, TSH and thyroid hormone concentrations reach very high levels. We also show that TRbeta, in contrast to TRalpha, is dispensable for the normal development of bone and intestine. In bone, the disruption of both TRalpha and TRbeta genes does not modify the maturation delay observed in TRalpha -/- mice. In the ileum, the absence of any receptor results in a much more severe impairment than that observed in TRalpha -/- animals. We conclude that each of the two families of proteins mediate specific functions of triiodothyronin (T3), and that redundancy is only partial and concerns a limited number of functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Gauthier
- CNRS UMR 49-INRA LA 913, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 46 allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon, France
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