Pharmacological characterization of intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in nine tissues from house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Lattin, Christine R.; Waldron-Francis, Kaiden; Richardson, Joyce W.; Bruijn, Robert de; Bauer, Carolyn M.; Breuner, Creagh W.; Romero, L. Michael

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.08.007

Cited by 58 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…Receptor binding assays were done following Breuner & Orchinik [24] and have been described in detail elsewhere [14]. We used homogenization techniques, tissue to buffer ratios, incubation times and temperatures optimized for house sparrow spleen, belly and back skin [14].…”

Section: (D) Receptor Binding Assaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specific receptors for CORT have recently been characterized in house sparrow (Passer domesticus) spleen and skin [14]. These two tissues serve crucial roles in the immune system and interact with CORT in complex ways.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specifically, because CORT can augment DTH and lymphocyte mitogenesis, at least in the short term, we expected to see increased spleen and skin sensitivity to CORT during times of year associated with increased immune challenges (table 1): the pre-laying period, the late breeding period and moult. (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) July 2011, n ¼ 12). We caught equal numbers of males and females during each stage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in spleen, but not skin, vary seasonally in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

2013

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Over the short-term and at physiological doses, acute increases in corticosterone (CORT) titres can enhance immune function. There are predictable seasonal patterns in both circulating CORT and immune function across many animal species, but whether CORT receptor density in immune tissues varies seasonally is currently unknown. Using radioligand binding assays, we examined changes in concentrations of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in spleen and skin in wild-caught house sparrows in Massachusetts during six different life-history stages: moult, early winter, late winter, pre-egg-laying, breeding and late breeding. Splenic GR and MR binding were highest during the pre-laying period. This may help animals respond to immune threats through increased lymphocyte proliferation and/or an increase in delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, both of which CORT can stimulate and in which spleen is involved. A decrease in splenic GR and MR during the late breeding period coincides with low baseline and stress-induced CORT, suggesting immune function in spleen may be relatively CORT-independent during this period. We saw no seasonal patterns in GR or MR in skin, suggesting skin's response to CORT is modulated primarily via changes in circulating CORT titres and/or via local production of CORT in response to wounding and other noxious stimuli.

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Section: (D) Receptor Binding Assaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in spleen, but not skin, vary seasonally in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

2013

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“…Because of its higher affinity, MR is thought to be more important in binding baseline concentrations of CORT, whereas GR shows increased binding at stress-induced concentrations [3]. MR is present at high concentrations in select tissues such as kidney and brain [4,5], whereas GR is ubiquitous throughout the body [4,6]. CORT receptors in different tissues can be regulated independently from hormone titres [7,8], from tissue to tissue [9][10][11], and even within different regions of the same tissue [12,13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most studies have examined baseline and/or stress-induced CORT titres; however, because CORT's effects also depend on tissue receptor density, we hypothesized there could be a relationship between the concentration of CORT receptors in skin and the extent of melanized coloration. GR has been found in both mammalian and avian skin [4,15,16], including in the melanocytes responsible for producing melanin [15,17]. MR is also present in skin, but its distribution appears limited to sodiumtransporting epithelia [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The size of a melanin-based plumage ornament correlates with glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in the skin of that ornament

Lattin

Romero

2013

Biol. Lett.

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PhysiologyThe size of a melanin-based plumage ornament correlates with glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in the skin of that ornament Christine R. Lattin and L. Michael Romero Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA Glucocorticoid hormones such as corticosterone (CORT) play crucial roles in many physiological processes. CORT's actions are primarily mediated via binding to two receptors (glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs)) in different target tissues. CORT receptors can be independently regulated from circulating hormone titres, from tissue to tissue and even within different regions of the same tissue type. Increasing evidence has shown relationships between circulating CORT and melaninbased pigmentation in skin and feathers, yet to our knowledge, there have been no studies of CORT receptors in the skin of melanized ornaments. Male house sparrows (Passer domesticus) have a black, melanized bib, and evidence suggests that bib size is an important intraspecific signal. We examined the relationship between bib area and tissue sensitivity to CORT by quantifying GR and MR in bib skin and in adjacent paler-feathered belly skin (as a control tissue) at different life-history stages using radioligand binding assays. Males with larger bibs relative to their life-history stage had less GR in bib skin, but not belly skin, than males with smaller bibs. These results suggest a connection between the size of a melanin-based ornament and the underlying tissue's responsiveness to CORT.

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Wounding alters blood chemistry parameters and skin mineralocorticoid receptors in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

2015

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Because skin is an important physical barrier against pathogens, the ability to quickly and effectively heal wounds directly impacts an animal's health. The hormone corticosterone (CORT) has many complex effects on immune function and can slow wound healing. It has been suggested that CORT's role during wound healing may be to act as a "brake" on inflammation and cell proliferation. This project aimed to clarify the role of CORT in the healing process by quantifying concentrations of its two intracellular receptors, glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), in the skin of wounded (n = 9) or unwounded (n = 8) house sparrows (Passer domesticus) using radioligand binding assays. We also quantified GR and MR in liver, spleen and pectoralis muscle, as well as several blood chemistry parameters, hypothesizing that wounding would alter whole-body energy use. One day post-wounding, wounded birds had higher blood glucose and lower aspartate aminotransferase (a marker indicating muscle damage or catabolism) compared to controls, which may be related to animals' changing metabolic needs in response to lymphocyte and macrophage recruitment at the wound site. Birds had significantly decreased MR, but not GR, in the skin of wounded legs compared to the skin of unwounded legs. There was also a trend towards lower MR in wounded skin compared to unwounded birds. Receptors in the three other tissues did not differ between groups. This study suggests that decreasing the skin's sensitivity to CORT immediately after wounding may be a necessary part of the normal healing process in wild birds.

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Pharmacological characterization of intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in nine tissues from house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Cited by 58 publications

References 54 publications

Intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in spleen, but not skin, vary seasonally in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Intracellular glucocorticoid receptors in spleen, but not skin, vary seasonally in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

The size of a melanin-based plumage ornament correlates with glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in the skin of that ornament

Wounding alters blood chemistry parameters and skin mineralocorticoid receptors in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

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