mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 17αhydroxylase, cytochrome P450 aromatase, anti-Müllerian hormone, estrogen receptor α, and androgen receptor in developing gonads of Japanese quail

Japanese quail (Cotumix coturnix japonica) is widely used in avian reproduction tests and avian sex reversal screening tests for evaluating adverse effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, there are few reports on the molecular biological profiles during the development and sexual differentiation of the gonads in Japanese quail. In the present study, we investigated mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 17αhydroxylase (P450c17), cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450 arom), anti-Mttllerian hormone (AMH), estrogen receptor α (ERα) and androgen receptor (AR) in the embryonic and post-hatching gonads of Japanese quail by using real-time RT-FCR. The left gonads of male and female Japanese quail at 16 days of incubation and 3, 7 and 14 days after hatching were used, in the study. P450c17 mRNA expression in females was significantly higher than that in males at 16 days of incubation, 3 and 7 days after hatching. P450arom mRNA expression in females was markedly higher than that in males and there were significant differences at 3, 7 and 14 days after hatching. AMH mRNA expression in males was apparently higher than that in females and there were significant differences at 16 days of incubation and 3 days after hatching. ERα mRNA was highly expressed not only in females but also in males at 16 days of incubation. There were no meaningful trends of AR mRNA expressions in male and female gonads during the observation periods. It is likely that the profiles of mRNA expression of P450c17, P450arom, AMH, ERα and AR in the embryonic and post-hatching gonads of normal Japanese quail in the present study provide basic and useful information.