Am. Brandstetter et al., Effects of muscle type, castration, age, and compensatory growth rate on androgen receptor mRNA expression in bovine skeletal muscle, J ANIM SCI, 78(3), 2000, pp. 629-637
The effect of testosterone on sexual dimorphism is evident by differential
growth of forelimb and neck muscles in bulls and steers. Divergent hormone
sensitivites may account for the differential growth rates of individual mu
scles. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare androgen recep
tor (AR) expression in three different muscles of bulls and steers at vario
us ages and growth rates. Thirty Montbeliard bulls and 30 steers were assig
ned to four slaughter age groups. Four or five animals of each sex were sla
ughtered at 4 and 8 mo of age. Animals in the remaining two slaughter group
s (12 and 16 mo) were divided into groups of either restricted (R) or ad li
bitum (AL) access to feed. Five animals of each sex and diet were slaughter
ed at the end of the restricted intake period at 12 mo of age. To simulate
compensatory growth, the remaining animals (R and AL) were allowed ad libit
um access to feed until slaughter at 16 mo of age. Total RNA was extracted
from samples of semitendinosus (ST), triceps brachii (TB), and splenius (SP
) muscles. Androgen receptor mRNA was quantified in 200-ng total RNA prepar
ations using an internally standardized reverse transcription (RT) PCR assa
y. Data were analyzed using 18S ribosomal RNA concentrations as a covariabl
e. Steers had higher AR mRNA levels per RNA unit than bulls (P < .01). Andr
ogen receptor mRNA levels differed between muscles (P < .05), with lowest e
xpression in the SP. The pattern of AR expression differed (P < .05) for ea
ch muscle with increasing age. Between 4 and 12 mo of age, AR mRNA levels i
ncreased (P < .05) in SP but remained unchanged in the ST and TB. Feeding r
egimen had no effect on muscle AR expression, but steers exhibiting compens
atory growth had higher AR mRNA levels than AL steers (P < .01) or bulls (P
< .01). Our results show that AR expression is muscle-specific and may be
modulated by circulating testicular hormones. These data suggest that the r
egulation of AR expression may be linked to allometric muscle growth patter
ns in cattle and compensatory gain in steers.