Identifying and isolating thyroid hormone-target cells in tissues

Monday, September 22, 2014 — Poster Session I
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	FAES Academic Center	NIDDK	DEVBIO-9

* FARE Award Winner

Authors

• X.F. Wu
• H. Liu
• Y.L. Fu
• L. Ng
• D. Forrest

Abstract

Thyroid hormones (THs) are essential for vertebrate development. In humans, congenital thyroid disease occurs in 1 in 2,500 newborns. Despite this importance of thyroid hormone, surprisingly little is understood of the cellular mechanisms in specific tissues by which it stimulates development. The functions of thyroid hormone are mediated by thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). Thyroid hormone receptors are encoded by the genesThra and Thrβ, respectively. Thrβ encodes two variants, TRβ1 is expressed widely, while TRβ2 is expressed primarily in the brain, retina, and inner ear. To determine precisely the cellular mechanisms by which TRβ2 functions, a cre-loxp system is used to label the Trβ2 expressing cells. The cre cassette was inserted immediately downstream of the initiation methionine of the endogenous Trβ2 gene. After crossed to cre-dependent Ai9 reporter line, the expression of the fluorescent protein tdTomato was found in cone cells in the retina, unknown cell types in the brain, pituitary and cochlea. Purify the Trβ2 expressing cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and perform the RNA-Seq to analyze the gene expression profiles to identify specific cellular targets of thyroid hormone in natural tissues, including the retina, pituitary and cochlea are ongoing.

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