17β-estradiol mediates sex-biased progesterone receptor expression via estrogen receptor α in chicken pituitary.

ABSTRACT: Sex-biased in gene expression is a pervasive biological phenomenon in animals and plays critical roles in sex-dependent physiological activities. While previous studies have identified numerous genes displaying sex-biased expression at pre- or post-sexual maturity, the regulatory mechanisms driving such differential expression remain poorly understood. Our earlier work showed that progesterone receptor (PGR) expression in the chicken pituitary exhibits sex bias. Herein, we aimed to identify key gonadal steroids and their regulatory mechanisms mediating female-enriched PGR expression in the chicken pituitary. Our results showed that: (1) Pituitary PGR expression in sexually mature chickens was confirmed to be sex-biased; (2) Both in vitro assays and subcutaneous injections demonstrated that

SUBMITTER: Bu G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12752528 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature