Progesterone receptor gene expression in the accessory sex glands of veal calves

Abstract

This study investigated progesterone receptor (PR) cDNA expression in the testes, prostate and bulbourethral glands of prepubertal calves treated experimentally with high and low doses of 17beta-oestradiol and with testosterone. Tissue samples were examined histologically and immunohistochemically for PR. Western blot analysis and quantitative PCR against PR was performed on cDNA and protein extracted from the same tissues. Bulbourethral glands from animals treated with low and high dosages of 17beta-oestradiol had 39- and 429-fold increases of PR transcript, respectively, compared with controls. In the prostate there were 7.5- and 16-fold increases, respectively. Animals treated with testosterone showed no increases in PR transcript. The results demonstrate that 17beta-oestradiol specifically induces marked overexpression of the PR gene and protein, particularly in the bulbourethral gland.

Progesterone receptor up-regulation: a diagnostic tool for the illicit use of oestrogens in adult beef cattle

“…The present study examined a novel strategy based on PR gene expression in adult male accessory sex glands in response to 17-oestradiol that was administered either alone or in combination with other molecules to reveal growth promoter abuse. In this experiment, in addition to the typical epithelial hyperplastic and metaplastic changes that were observed in the prostate, urethra and bulbourethral glands (Biolatti et al 2003;Groot et al 2007;De Maria et al 2010), 17-oestradiol induced significant PR transcriptional up-regulation in the prostate (25.07-fold) and bulbourethral glands (23.42-fold). These data were confirmed by a protein expression analysis using immunohistochemistry.…”

“…All groups were housed in separate boxes and fed a concentrated diet consisting of corn silage, corn, hay, and a commercial protein supplement; water was supplied ad libitum. Hormone dosages were chosen according to the literature (Vanderwal et al 1975;Meyer 2001;Cannizzo et al 2008;De Maria et al 2010).…”

“…Because cytokeratins are involved in the genesis of hyperplastic and metaplastic lesions in the prostate and bulbourethral glands of cattle treated with oestrogens, particularly 17-oestradiol (Lommen and Groot 1993;Groot et al 2007;De Maria et al 2010;Pezzolato et al 2011), cytokeratin 5 (KRT5) gene expression of the accessory sex glands of experimental animals was also examined to investigate the correlation between PR and KRT5 gene expression and epithelial lesions in the same glands of treated animals.…”

Regucalcin Expression in Bovine Tissues and Its Regulation by Sex Steroid Hormones in Accessory Sex Glands

“…Particularly, the transcriptomic approach could facilitate the identification of biomarkers suitable for the detection of illegally treated animals. Recent studies have shown that progesterone receptor (PR) gene expression levels were increased in the bulbo-urethral and prostate glands of 17β-estradiol-treated calves and beef cattle [53], [57]. For potential use in food safety monitoring, a quantitative PCR (qPCR) method has been developed for the detection of up-regulated PR gene expression in the bulbo-urethral glands of beef cattle and veal calves illegally administered 17β-estradiol [58].…”

Regucalcin Expression as a Diagnostic Tool for the Illicit Use of Steroids in Veal Calves

“…The hormone dosages were selected according to previous studies. 2,21,22 The Tissue Sampling and Processing. Samples of bulbo-urethral glands, prostate and testis tissues were obtained from each animal at slaughter.…”