Chapter 29 - Insights Gained From Marmoset Endocrine Research

Abstract

New World primate (NWP) marmoset monkeys are an invaluable nonhuman primate resource for translational endocrine research. While they exhibit distinct endocrine differences from Old World primates (OWPs), including humans, exploration of marmoset endocrinology has provided a novel insight into many facets of human health from cancer to alternative regulators of hormone action. Typical of many NWPs, marmosets have exchanged a variety of circulating, extracellular hormone-binding proteins produced by the liver for cell-specific, intracellular-binding proteins. Such highly expressed intracellular binding is locally produced in target organs and tissues. These molecules either engage hormone response elements on chromosomal DNA or nuclear/cytoplasmic hormone receptors, providing relatively high degrees of competitive binding for a variety of hormones that is normally only overcome by corresponding increases in endogenous hormone production. Compensatory high levels of hormones in the circulation, initially misinterpreted as hormone receptor-mediated resistance to receptor binding, thus do not engage the typical pathological sequelae demonstrated in humans and other OWPs.