Molecular cloning and sequence of retinoid X receptor in the green crab Carcinus maenas: a possible role in female reproduction

    Authors

    G. P. C. Nagaraju; B. Rajitha;D. W. Borst

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Endocrinol.

    Keywords

    OZIOTELPHUSA-SENEX-SENEX; LIGAND-BINDING DOMAIN; METHYL FARNESOATE; ECDYSONE RECEPTOR; UCA-PUGILATOR; FIDDLER-CRAB; ECDYSTEROID RECEPTOR; SIGNALING PATHWAY; GENE-EXPRESSION; MESSENGER-RNA; Endocrinology & Metabolism

    Abstract

    Retinoid X receptor (RXR) belongs to an ancient superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors, and plays an important role in reproduction of vertebrates. However, the reproductive role of RXR has not been clarified in crustaceans. In this investigation, we first report the cloning of two alternative splice variants of RXR cDNA from green crab ovarian RNA. RXR mRNA levels were quantified in different vitellogenic stages of the crab hepatopancreas (HP) and ovary. The expression of RXR mRNA relative to the arginine kinase mRNA was significantly increased in the HP of vitellogenic crabs in a stage-dependent manner. The relative levels of RXR mRNA in the ovary were significantly lower in vitellogenic stage III crabs than in crabs in the other three stages. These data indicate that the HP and ovary of the crab are capable of expressing RXR, which may regulate, in part, vitellogenesis in the crab. We also examined the effects of methyl farnesoate (MF) and RXR-dsRNA treatments on vitellogenin and RXR gene expression. Vitellogenin and RXR mRNA levels in HP and ovarian fragments incubated in MF were significantly (P < 0.001) higher than in control tissue fragments prepared from the same animal. Treatment of crabs with RXR-dsRNA significantly (P < 0.001) reduced mRNA levels for RXR and for vitellogenin as well as MF levels in hemolymph. These results indicate that, MF and RXR form a complex (MF-RXR) directly and together stimulate ovarian development in these green crabs. This interaction of RXR, MF, and ovary development axis is a novel finding and is the first report to the best of our knowledge. Journal of Endocrinology (2011) 210, 379-390

    Journal Title

    Journal of Endocrinology

    Volume

    210

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    379

    Last Page

    390

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000293697400013

    ISSN

    0022-0795

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