Increased expression of thyroid hormone responsive protein (THRSP) is the result but not the cause of higher intramuscular fat content in cattle.

Thyroid hormone responsive protein (THRSP) is known to be involved in lipogenic processes in rodents. In cattle, THRSP could be a potential molecular marker for intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition since mRNA abundance was frequently found to be increased in skeletal muscle with high IMF content compared to those with low IMF. The aim of this study was to elucidate the background of this differential expression and to evaluate the role of THRSP as candidate for increased IMF content in cattle. By combination of mRNA and protein analyses, we could demonstrate that THRSP is present mainly in nuclei of adipose tissue, in intramuscular fat cells and associated cells, and in cells of the portal triad of liver, whereas muscle cells did not express THRSP. Cell culture analyses revealed furthermore that THRSP is expressed in mature adipocytes rather than in early stages of adipogenesis. Collectively, our data support the putative role of THRSP as transcriptional regulator and demonstrate that an increased expression of THRSP in M. longissimus is a consequence of but not the reason for a higher number of intramuscular adipocytes in cattle with enhanced IMF deposition.