@article{6e18ace661714730a44489ec58cabe04,
title = "Light-induced hormone conversion of T4 to T3 regulates photoperiodic response of gonads in birds",
abstract = "Reproduction of many temperate zone birds is under photoperiodic control. The Japanese quail is an excellent model for studying the mechanism of photoperiodic time measurement because of its distinct and marked response to changing photoperiods. Studies on this animal have suggested that the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) is an important centre controlling photoperiodic time measurement. Here we report that expression in the MBH of the gene encoding type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (Dio2), which catalyses the intracellular deiodination of thyroxine (T4) prohormone to the active 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3), is induced by light in Japanese quail. Intracerebroventricular administration of T3 mimics the photoperiodic response, whereas the Dio2 inhibitor iopanoic acid prevents gonadal growth. These findings demonstrate that light-induced Dio2 expression in the MBH may be involved in the photoperiodic response of gonads in Japanese quail.",
author = "Takashi Yoshimura and Shinobu Yasuo and Miwa Watanabe and Masayuki Iigo and Takashi Yamamura and Kanjun Hirunagi and Shizufumi Ebihara",
note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements We thank A. Angert, K. Kay, and D. Grosenbacher for field observations of pollinators, P. Beardsley and S. Stefanovic for field assistance, and B. Watson for genotyping. We are grateful to F. Nicholson and the Carnegie Institution of Washington for allowing us to use the Mather field station. Y. Sam provided helpful comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by an award from the National Science Foundation. Funding Information: Acknowledgements We thank Nagoya University Radioisotope Center for use of its facilities. We also thank K. Aida, M. Tagawa and A. Munakata for providing antiserum, and A. Nishimura for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Program for Promotion of Basic Research Activities for Innovative Biosciences (PROBRAIN), a Grant-in-Aid for Encouragement of Young Scientists (to T.Yo.), and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (to S.E.) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture.",
year = "2003",
month = nov,
day = "13",
doi = "10.1038/nature02117",
language = "English",
volume = "426",
pages = "178--181",
journal = "Nature",
issn = "0028-0836",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "6963",
}