Thyroid hormone is a well-known regulator of brain, lung and kidney development and function. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the hormone exerts its function have remained largely enigmatic, and only a limited set of target genes have been identified in these tissues. Using a mouse model with a mutation in thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1), we here demonstrate that the expression of carbonic anhydrase 4 in lung and brain of the adult animal depends on intact TRα1 signaling. In the kidney, carbonic anhydrase 4 mRNA and protein are not affected by the mutant TRα1, but are acutely repressed by thyroid hormone. However, neither lung function--as measured by respiration rate and oxygen saturation--nor urine pH levels were affected by altered carbonic anhydrase 4 levels, suggesting that other carbonic anhydrases are likely to compensate. Taken together, our findings identify a previously unknown marker of TRα1 action in brain and lung, and provide a novel negatively regulated target gene to assess renal thyroid hormone status.
Keywords: Mutation; Oxygen saturation; Respiration; Thyroid hormone receptor α1; Thyroid hormone response element; Urine; pH.
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