Androgens induce the differentiation of the urogenital sinus (UGS) to form a prostate. An early marker of this response is upregulation of the transcription factor Nkx3.1 in the urogenital epithelium in the precursors of prostatic buds. In tammars, prostate differentiation begins ~3 weeks after birth and after the time the testis starts to secrete androgens, and 2 weeks after androgen stimulated Wolffian duct differentiation. The reason for this delay in prostate differentiation is unexplained. Androgen receptors are present in the UGS, and the potent androgen, androstanediol, induces prostatic development in females. Whilst androgens may diffuse into cells by across the cell membrane, there is increasing evidence that steroids are also internalised actively via the cell-surface transport molecule Megalin. We are exploring the possibility that the delay may be related to the establishment of a Megalin-mediated pathway. Megalin is a cell surface receptor expressed on epithelia and mediates the endocytosis of a wide range of ligands, including SHBG-bound sex steroids. Megalin action is regulated by Receptor Associated Protein (RAP), which acts as an antagonist to Megalin action. This study cloned partial sequences of Megalin, RAP and Nkx3.1 and examined their expression in the developing urogenital sinus of the tammar wallaby using RT–PCR. The cellular distribution of Megalin protein in the developing UGS was examined using immunohistochemistry. Megalin, RAP and Nkx3.1 in the tammar were all highly conserved with eutherian orthologueues. Megalin and Nkx3.1 transcripts were detected in the liver, kidney, ovary, testis and developing urogenital sinus of male and female tammars. In the developing UGS of the tammar, there was strong staining for Megalin protein in the urogenital epithelium with some diffuse staining in the surrounding mesenchyme. Together, these results suggest that Megalin could be a key gene in the mediation of androgen action in prostatic development in the tammar wallaby.
STRA6, a Cell-Surface Receptor for Retinol-Binding Protein: The Plot Thickens