Related Experiment Videos

Differences in antibody recognition of the triiodothyronine nuclear receptor and c-erbA products

H C Freake1, A Santos, Y Goldberg

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.

Insights

Thyroid hormone receptors (T3 receptors) are related but not identical to cloned c-erbA sequences. Antibodies identified differences between c-erbA products and T3 receptors in chick, rat, and human tissues.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Endocrinology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • In vitro translated products of c-erbA cDNAs bind thyroid hormones, termed thyroid hormone receptors.
  • Conventional measurement of thyroid hormone receptors involves 125I-T3 labeling of nuclear extracts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between c-erbA translated products and conventionally measured thyroid hormone receptors.
  • To differentiate c-erbA sequences from actual thyroid hormone receptors using antibody probes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized five erbA-related antibodies for immunoprecipitation assays.
  • Assessed antibody recognition of chick, rat, and human thyroid hormone receptors via sucrose gradient sedimentation.
  • Compared immunoprecipitated c-erbA products with T3 receptor binding activity.

Main Results:

  • All five antibodies immunoprecipitated chick c-erbA translated products.
  • Only one antibody recognized chick liver and brain T3 receptor.
  • No antibodies reacted with rat or human T3 receptors, though one recognized a human c-erbA product.

Conclusions:

  • Thyroid hormone receptors, as conventionally measured, are related to, but distinct from, recently cloned c-erbA sequences.
  • Antibody-based analysis reveals molecular differences between c-erbA gene products and functional thyroid hormone receptors across species.

Related Concept Videos