Biology of Sex Differences (Oct 2022)

Postnatal developmental trajectory of sex-biased gene expression in the mouse pituitary gland

  • Huayun Hou,
  • Cadia Chan,
  • Kyoko E. Yuki,
  • Dustin Sokolowski,
  • Anna Roy,
  • Rihao Qu,
  • Liis Uusküla-Reimand,
  • Mariela Faykoo-Martinez,
  • Matt Hudson,
  • Christina Corre,
  • Anna Goldenberg,
  • Zhaolei Zhang,
  • Mark R. Palmert,
  • Michael D. Wilson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-022-00467-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 23

Abstract

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Highlights Male and female mouse pituitary gland gene and miRNA expression was profiled across five postnatal ages spanning pubertal development. Sex differences in pituitary gene expression exist prior to puberty and become more prominent upon puberty. Combining expression data from genes and miRNAs revealed 18 putative sex-biased gene targets of 5 sex-biased miRNAs. Sex differences in the proportions of somatotropes, lactotropes, and gonadotropes are predicted to occur prior to puberty.