Sg. Velleman et Cs. Coy, TRANSFORMING-GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA GENE-EXPRESSION IN AVIAN LOW SCORE NORMAL PECTORAL MUSCLE, Poultry science, 77(3), 1998, pp. 464-467
The avian Low Score Normal (LSN) genetic muscle weakness is phenotypic
ally characterized by a reduction in the ability of birds to right the
mselves from a supine position. In previous studies, LSN birds exhibit
ed elevated levels of decorin transcript and protein at embryonic Day
20 and a large increase in collagen crosslinking at 6 wk posthatch. Tr
ansforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) expression has been reported
to control decorin expression. Steady state levels of TGF-beta 1 and T
GF-beta 2 transcripts were determined in ovo and posthatch in order to
initiate an investigation of the mechanism underlying decorin express
ion. On embryonic Day 20 through 1 wk posthatch, TGF-beta 2 transcript
levels were elevated, whereas an increase in TGF-beta 1 was only note
d at 1 d posthatch. These data suggest that the increase in decorin ex
pression may be associated with a modification in a TGF-beta signal tr
ansduction pathway.