1
|
Jabra S, Rietsche M, Muellerleile J, O'Leary A, Slattery DA, Deller T, Fellenz M. Sex- and cycle-dependent changes in spine density and size in hippocampal CA2 neurons. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12252. [PMID: 38806649 PMCID: PMC11133407 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62951-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones affect structural and functional plasticity in the rodent hippocampus. However, hormone levels not only differ between males and females, but also fluctuate across the female estrous cycle. While sex- and cycle-dependent differences in dendritic spine density and morphology have been found in the rodent CA1 region, but not in the CA3 or the dentate gyrus, comparable structural data on CA2, i.e. the hippocampal region involved in social recognition memory, is so far lacking. In this study, we, therefore, used wildtype male and female mice in diestrus or proestrus to analyze spines on dendritic segments from identified CA2 neurons. In basal stratum oriens, we found no differences in spine density, but a significant shift towards larger spine head areas in male mice compared to females. Conversely, in apical stratum radiatum diestrus females had a significantly higher spine density, and females in either cycle stage had a significant shift towards larger spine head areas as compared to males, with diestrus females showing the larger shift. Our results provide further evidence for the sexual dimorphism of hippocampal area CA2, and underscore the importance of considering not only the sex, but also the stage of the estrous cycle when interpreting morphological data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Jabra
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michael Rietsche
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julia Muellerleile
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aet O'Leary
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Straße 10, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Straße 10, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Deller
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Meike Fellenz
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Velasco ER, Florido A, Perez-Caballero L, Marin I, Andero R. The Impacts of Sex Differences and Sex Hormones on Fear Extinction. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 64:105-132. [PMID: 37528309 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Fear extinction memories are strongly modulated by sex and hormonal status, but the exact mechanisms are still being discovered. In humans, there are some basal and task-related features in which male and female individuals differ in fear conditioning paradigms. However, analyses considering the effects of sex hormones demonstrate a role for estradiol in fear extinction memory consolidation. Translational studies are taking advantage of the convergent findings between species to understand the brain structures implicated. Nevertheless, the human brain is complex and the transfer of these findings into the clinics remains a challenge. The promising advances in the field together with the standardization of fear extinction methodologies in humans will benefit the design of new personalized therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Raul Velasco
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Florido
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Perez-Caballero
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Marin
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raul Andero
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
- Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Evidence of Sex Differences in Cellular Senescence. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 120:88-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
4
|
Perez-Rando M, Guirado R, Tellez-Merlo G, Carceller H, Nacher J. Estradiol Regulates Polysialylated Form of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Expression and Connectivity of O-LM Interneurons in the Hippocampus of Adult Female Mice. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 112:51-67. [PMID: 33550289 DOI: 10.1159/000515052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The estrous cycle is caused by the changing concentration of ovarian hormones, particularly 17β-estradiol, a hormone whose effect on excitatory circuits has been extensively reported. However, fewer studies have tried to elucidate how this cycle, or this hormone, affects the plasticity of inhibitory networks and the structure of interneurons. Among these cells, somatostatin-expressing O-LM neurons of the hippocampus are especially interesting. They have a role in the modulation of theta oscillations, and they receive direct input from the entorhinal cortex, which place them in the center of hippocampal function. In this study, we report that the expression of polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) in the hippocampus, a molecule involved in the plasticity of somatostatin-expressing interneurons in the adult brain, fluctuated through the different stages of the estrous cycle. Likewise, these stages and the expression of PSA-NCAM affected the density of dendritic spines of O-LM cells. We also describe that 17β-estradiol replacement of adult ovariectomized female mice caused an increase in the perisomatic inhibitory puncta in O-LM interneurons as well as an increase in their axonal bouton density. Interestingly, this treatment also induced a decrease in their dendritic spine density, specifically in O-LM interneurons lacking PSA-NCAM expression. Finally, using an ex vivo real-time assay with entorhinal-hippocampal organotypic cultures, we show that this hormone decreased the dynamics in spinogenesis, altogether highlighting the modulatory effect that 17β-estradiol has on inhibitory circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Perez-Rando
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ramon Guirado
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
- Dirección General de Universidades, Gobierno de Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Guillermina Tellez-Merlo
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Hector Carceller
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
- CIBERSAM: Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Changes in dendritic arborization related to the estrous cycle in pyramidal neurons of layer V of the motor cortex. J Chem Neuroanat 2021; 119:102042. [PMID: 34800658 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2021.102042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Many studies on neuronal plasticity have been conducted in the hippocampus and sensory cortices. In female rats in the estrus phase, when there is a low concentration of estradiol in the blood, there is a reduction in the dendritic spine density of CA1 neurons, while an increase in dendritic spines has been observed during metestrus, when progesterone levels are high. In comparison with the hippocampus, less information is known about dendritic remodeling of the motor cortex. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the neuronal morphology of pyramidal cells of layer V of the motor cortex in each phase of the estrous cycle. For this, we used Long-Evans strain rats and formed 4 experimental groups according to the phase of the estrous cycle at the moment of sacrifice: proestrus, estrus, metestrus, or diestrus. All animals were gently monitored regarding the expression of one estrous cycle in order to determine the regularity of the cycle. We obtained the brains in order to evaluate the neuronal morphology of neurons of layer V of the primary motor cortex following the Golgi-Cox method and Sholl analysis. Our results show that the dendritic arborization of neurons of rats sacrificed in the metestrus phase is reduced compared to the other phases of the estrous cycle. However, we did not find changes in dendritic spine density between experimental groups. When comparing our results with previous data, we can suggest that estrogens and progesterone differentially promote plasticity events in pyramidal neurons between different brain regions.
Collapse
|
6
|
Taxier LR, Gross KS, Frick KM. Oestradiol as a neuromodulator of learning and memory. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:535-550. [PMID: 32879508 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0362-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although hormones such as glucocorticoids have been broadly accepted in recent decades as general neuromodulators of memory processes, sex steroid hormones such as the potent oestrogen 17β-oestradiol have been less well recognized by the scientific community in this capacity. The predominance of females in studies of oestradiol and memory and the general (but erroneous) perception that oestrogens are 'female' hormones have probably prevented oestradiol from being more widely considered as a key memory modulator in both sexes. Indeed, although considerable evidence supports a crucial role for oestradiol in regulating learning and memory in females, a growing body of literature indicates a similar role in males. This Review discusses the mechanisms of oestradiol signalling and provides an overview of the effects of oestradiol on spatial, object recognition, social and fear memories. Although the primary focus is on data collected in females, effects of oestradiol on memory in males will be discussed, as will sex differences in the molecular mechanisms that regulate oestrogenic modulation of memory, which may have important implications for the development of future cognitive therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Taxier
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kellie S Gross
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ferreira MJ, Sanches IC, Jorge L, Llesuy SF, Irigoyen MC, De Angelis K. Ovarian status modulates cardiovascular autonomic control and oxidative stress in target organs. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:15. [PMID: 32264929 PMCID: PMC7140311 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00290-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have presented conflicting findings regarding the association between both fluctuation and deprivation of ovarian hormones and cardiovascular autonomic modulation and oxidative stress and their potential impact on resting arterial pressure (AP) and cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess cardiovascular autonomic modulation, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), and oxidative stress in male rats (M) and in female rats during ovulatory (FOV) and non-ovulatory phases (FNOV) of the estrous cycle and after deprivation of ovarian hormones (FO). Direct AP was recorded, and BRS was assessed by using increasing doses of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside. AP and heart rate variability were assessed by spectral analysis. Oxidative stress profile was evaluated in cardiac, renal, and muscle tissues. In females, the ovulatory phase and ovarian hormone deprivation induced an increase in AP (FOV and FO ~ 9 mmHg) when compared to the non-ovulatory phase. Ovariectomy promoted increased cardiac sympathovagal balance (~ 17–37%) when compared to other groups. Both FOV and FO groups presented impaired BRS, associated with higher AP variability. In general, antioxidant capacity was higher in the FNOV than in the M group. Ovarian hormone deprivation induced a decrease in catalase activity in cardiac and renal tissues and an increase in lipid peroxidation in all tissues analyzed. Positive correlations (p < 0.05) were found between vascular sympathetic modulation and lipid peroxidation in cardiac (r = 0.60), renal (r = 0.60), and muscle (r = 0.57) tissues. In conclusion, both oscillation and deprivation of ovarian hormones play an important role in cardiovascular autonomic control and oxidative stress profile in target organs, which is reflected in AP changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maycon Junior Ferreira
- Physiology Exercise Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iris Callado Sanches
- Human Movement Laboratory, Sao Judas Tadeu University (USJT), Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luciana Jorge
- Hypertension Unit, Heart Institute, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Susana Francisca Llesuy
- University Institute of Italian Hospital, Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Kátia De Angelis
- Physiology Exercise Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, Brazil. .,Laboratory of Translational Physiology, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Arrieta-Cruz I, Librado-Osorio R, Flores A, Mendoza-Garcés L, Chavira R, Cárdenas M, Gutiérrez-Juárez R, Domínguez R, Cruz ME. Estrogen Receptors Alpha and Beta in POA-AHA Region Regulate Asymmetrically Ovulation. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2019; 39:1139-1149. [PMID: 31250245 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-019-00708-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
We examined the role of the estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) in of the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area (POA-AHA) in the regulation of ovulation in rats. The number of ERα- and ERβ-immunoreactive (-ir) cells was determined at 09:00, 13:00, and 17:00 h of each stage of the estrous cycle in intact rats. Additionally, the effects of blocking ERα and ERβ on ovulation rate at 09:00 h on diestrus-2 or proestrus day through the microinjection of methyl-piperidino-pyrazole (MPP) or cyclofenil in either side of POA-AHA were evaluated. The number of ERα-ir and ERβ-ir cells in POA-AHA varied in each phase of estrous cycle. Either MPP or cyclofenil in the right side of POA-AHA on diestrus-2 day reduced the ovulation rate, while at proestrus day it was decreased in rats treated in either side with MPP, and in those treated with cyclofenil in the left side. MPP or cyclofenil produced a decrease in the surge of luteinizing hormone levels (LH) and an increase in progesterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Replacement with synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in non-ovulating rats treated with MPP or cyclofenil restored ovulation. These results suggest that activation of estrogen receptors on the morning of diestrus-2 and proestrus day asymmetrically regulates ovulation and appropriately regulates the secretion of FSH and progesterone in the morning and afternoon of proestrus day. This ensures that both, the preovulatory secretion of LH and ovulation, occur at the right time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Arrieta-Cruz
- Department of Basic Research, National Institute of Geriatrics. Ministry of Health, Periférico Sur no. 2767, Col. San Jerónimo Lídice, La Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, Ciudad De México, Mexico.
| | - Raúl Librado-Osorio
- Department of Basic Research, National Institute of Geriatrics. Ministry of Health, Periférico Sur no. 2767, Col. San Jerónimo Lídice, La Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, Ciudad De México, Mexico
| | - Angélica Flores
- Reproductive Biology Research Unit, Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Col. Ejército de Oriente, Campus II, Batalla 5 de mayo s/n esquina, Iztapalapa, Fuerte De Loreto, C.P 09230, Mexico
| | - Luciano Mendoza-Garcés
- Department of Basic Research, National Institute of Geriatrics. Ministry of Health, Periférico Sur no. 2767, Col. San Jerónimo Lídice, La Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, Ciudad De México, Mexico
| | - Roberto Chavira
- Department of Reproductive Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mario Cárdenas
- Department of Reproductive Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Roger Gutiérrez-Juárez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Roberto Domínguez
- Reproductive Biology Research Unit, Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Col. Ejército de Oriente, Campus II, Batalla 5 de mayo s/n esquina, Iztapalapa, Fuerte De Loreto, C.P 09230, Mexico
| | - María-Esther Cruz
- Reproductive Biology Research Unit, Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Col. Ejército de Oriente, Campus II, Batalla 5 de mayo s/n esquina, Iztapalapa, Fuerte De Loreto, C.P 09230, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jie HF, Yang GJ, Bi RY, Mo SY, Gan YH, Xie QF. Genistein Antagonizes 17β-Estradiol Effects on Glutamate-Evoked Masseter Muscle Hypernociception in Rats. Front Neurol 2018; 9:649. [PMID: 30166977 PMCID: PMC6106884 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) predominantly affect women of reproductive ages, with pain as the main symptom. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle and to examine whether genistein could antagonize the effects of E2 in female rats. Injection of glutamate into the masseter muscle dose-dependently decreased head withdrawal thresholds, a parameter for mechanical hypernociception. Head withdrawal thresholds in ovariectomized rats also decreased with increasing doses of E2 replacement, and were further aggravated by injection of glutamate (1M, 40μL) into the masseters. Genistein at doses of 7.5 and 15 mg/kg antagonized E2-induced hypernociception of masseter muscle, and at doses of 7.5, 15, and 30 mg/kg also antagonized E2 potentiation of glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle. Genistein produced optimal antagonistic effects of E2 on nociception behavior at a dose of 15 mg/kg. On the molecular level, tyrosine phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (pNR2B) and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase (pERK1/2) were significantly upregulated in the hippocampus following glutamate injection and were further potentiated by E2 replacement. Genistein at dose of 15 mg/kg partially reversed E2-potentiated glutamate-evoked upregulation of pNR2B and pERK1/2 expression in the hippocampus. These results indicated that moderate doses of genistein could antagonize E2 enhanced glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle possibly via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the hippocampus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Fei Jie
- Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.,Center for Oral Functional Diagnosis, Treatment and Research, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Guang-Ju Yang
- Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.,Center for Oral Functional Diagnosis, Treatment and Research, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Rui-Yun Bi
- Third Dental Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Si-Yi Mo
- Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.,Center for Oral Functional Diagnosis, Treatment and Research, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Ye-Hua Gan
- Central Laboratory and Center for TMD & Orofacial Pain, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Qiu-Fei Xie
- Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.,Center for Oral Functional Diagnosis, Treatment and Research, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mechanisms of Sex Differences in Fear and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:876-885. [PMID: 29331353 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Following sexual maturity, females disproportionately have higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and experience greater symptom severity and chronicity as compared with males. This observation has led many to examine sex differences in PTSD risk factors. Though relatively few, these studies reveal that the root causes of PTSD sex differences are complex, and partly represent interactions between sex-specific nonbiological and biological risk factors, which differentially shape PTSD vulnerability. Moreover, these studies suggest that sex-specific PTSD vulnerability is partly regulated by sex differences in fear systems. Fear, which represents a highly conserved adaptive response to threatening environmental stimuli, becomes pathological in trauma- and stress-based psychiatric syndromes, such as PTSD. Over the last 30 years, considerable progress has been made in understanding normal and pathological molecular and behavioral fear processes in humans and animal models. Thus, fear mechanisms represent a tractable PTSD biomarker in the study of sex differences in fear. In this review, we discuss studies that examine nonbiological and biological sex differences that contribute to normal and pathological fear behaviors in humans and animal models. This, we hope, will shed greater light on the potential mechanisms that contribute to increased PTSD vulnerability in females.
Collapse
|
11
|
Linear and inverted U-shaped dose-response functions describe estrogen effects on hippocampal activity in young women. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1220. [PMID: 29572476 PMCID: PMC5865215 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03679-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In animals, 17-beta-estradiol (E2) enhances hippocampal plasticity in a dose-dependent, monotonically increasing manner, but this relationship can also exhibit an inverted U-shaped function. To investigate E2’s dose-response function in the human hippocampus, we pharmacologically increased E2 levels in 125 naturally cycling women (who were in their low-hormone menstruation phase) to physiological (equivalent to menstrual cycle peak) and supraphysiological (equivalent to levels during early pregnancy) concentrations in a placebo-controlled design. Twenty-four hours after first E2 intake, we measured brain activity during encoding of neutral and negative pictures and then tested recognition memory 24 h after encoding. Here we report that E2 exhibits both a monotonically increasing relationship with hippocampal activity as well as an inverted U-shaped relationship, depending on the hippocampal region. Hippocampal activity exhibiting a U-shaped relationship inflects at supraphysiological E2 levels, suggesting that while E2 within physiological ranges stimulates hippocampal activity, supraphysiological ranges show opposite effects. While estrogen is known to change hippocampal activity in animals, it is not known if this effect extends to humans. Here, authors vary the doses of estrogen in young women and show that the effects on hippocampal activity can be described by linear and inverted-U shaped dose-response functions.
Collapse
|
12
|
Increased dendritic length in CA1 and CA3 hippocampal neurons during the metestrus phase in Wistar rats. Brain Res 2018; 1682:78-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
13
|
Zhang F, Wang Y, Han W, Wang J, Zhang H, Sheng X, Yuan Z, Weng Q, Han Y. Seasonal changes of androgen receptor, estrogen receptors and aromatase expression in the hippocampus of the wild male ground squirrels (Citellus dauricus Brandt). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 249:93-100. [PMID: 28502742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The wild ground squirrel is a typical seasonal breeder whose annual life cycle can be roughly divided into the breeding season, the post-breeding season and hibernation. Our previous study has reported the seasonal changes in the expressions of androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptors α and β (ERα and ERβ), and aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450arom) in the hypothalamus of male wild ground squirrels. To further seek evidence of seasonal expression of steroid hormone receptors and steroid hormone synthases in other brain regions, we investigated the protein and mRNA expressions of AR, ERα, ERβ and P450arom in the hippocampus of the male wild ground squirrels during these different reproductive periods. Histological observation showed that the number of pyramidal cells in Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) increased in the breeding season. Both protein and mRNA of AR, ERα, ERβ and P450arom were present in CA1 and CA3 of all seasons. There was significant increment in the immune-signal intensity and mRNA level of AR and ERα during the pre-hibernation, whereas those of ERβ and P450arom were higher during the post-breeding season. In addition, the profile of plasma testosterone concentration showed the nadir in the post-breeding season, a marked elevation in the pre-hibernation, and the summit in the breeding season. These findings suggested that the hippocampus may be a direct target of androgen and estrogen; androgen may play important regulatory roles through its receptor and/or the aromatized estrogen in the hippocampus of the wild male ground squirrels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fengwei Zhang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yu Wang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Wentao Han
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Haolin Zhang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xia Sheng
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Zhengrong Yuan
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qiang Weng
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yingying Han
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Thammacharoen S, Kitchanukitwattana P, Suwanapaporn P, Chaiyabutr N. Effects of Hindbrain Infusion of an Estrogen Receptor Antagonist on Estrogenic Modulation of Eating Behavior. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-017-9631-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
|
15
|
Abstract
Anxiety disorders constitute the largest group of mental disorders in most western societies and are a leading cause of disability. The essential features of anxiety disorders are excessive and enduring fear, anxiety or avoidance of perceived threats, and can also include panic attacks. Although the neurobiology of individual anxiety disorders is largely unknown, some generalizations have been identified for most disorders, such as alterations in the limbic system, dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and genetic factors. In addition, general risk factors for anxiety disorders include female sex and a family history of anxiety, although disorder-specific risk factors have also been identified. The diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders varies for the individual disorders, but are generally similar across the two most common classification systems: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10). Despite their public health significance, the vast majority of anxiety disorders remain undetected and untreated by health care systems, even in economically advanced countries. If untreated, these disorders are usually chronic with waxing and waning symptoms. Impairments associated with anxiety disorders range from limitations in role functioning to severe disabilities, such as the patient being unable to leave their home.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Thalia C Eley
- King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charleston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Ronald M Rapee
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hans-Ulrich Wittchen
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Science, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang ZL, Qin P, Liu Y, Zhang LX, Guo H, Deng YL, Yizhao-Liu, Hou YS, Wang LY, Miao Y, Ma YL, Hou WG. Alleviation of ischaemia-reperfusion injury by endogenous estrogen involves maintaining Bcl-2 expression via the ERα signalling pathway. Brain Res 2017; 1661:15-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
17
|
Pavón N, Cabrera-Orefice A, Gallardo-Pérez JC, Uribe-Alvarez C, Rivero-Segura NA, Vazquez-Martínez ER, Cerbón M, Martínez-Abundis E, Torres-Narvaez JC, Martínez-Memije R, Roldán-Gómez FJ, Uribe-Carvajal S. In female rat heart mitochondria, oophorectomy results in loss of oxidative phosphorylation. J Endocrinol 2017; 232:221-235. [PMID: 27872198 DOI: 10.1530/joe-16-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Oophorectomy in adult rats affected cardiac mitochondrial function. Progression of mitochondrial alterations was assessed at one, two and three months after surgery: at one month, very slight changes were observed, which increased at two and three months. Gradual effects included decrease in the rates of oxygen consumption and in respiratory uncoupling in the presence of complex I substrates, as well as compromised Ca2+ buffering ability. Malondialdehyde concentration increased, whereas the ROS-detoxifying enzyme Mn2+ superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and aconitase lost activity. In the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the concentration and activity of complex I and complex IV decreased. Among other mitochondrial enzymes and transporters, adenine nucleotide carrier and glutaminase decreased. 2-Oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase also decreased. Data strongly suggest that in the female rat heart, estrogen depletion leads to progressive, severe mitochondrial dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Pavón
- Departamento de FarmacologíaInstituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, México, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Cabrera-Orefice
- Departamento de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., Mexico
| | | | - Cristina Uribe-Alvarez
- Departamento de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., Mexico
| | - Nadia A Rivero-Segura
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción HumanaInstituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química UNAM, México D.F., Mexico
| | - Edgar Ricardo Vazquez-Martínez
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción HumanaInstituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química UNAM, México D.F., Mexico
| | - Marco Cerbón
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción HumanaInstituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química UNAM, México D.F., Mexico
| | - Eduardo Martínez-Abundis
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de ComalcalcoUniversidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, México, Mexico
| | | | - Raúl Martínez-Memije
- Departamento de Instrumentación ElectromecánicaInstituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Tlalpan DF, México, Mexico
| | | | - Salvador Uribe-Carvajal
- Departamento de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
López-Ramírez YL, López-Ramírez K, Arrieta-Cruz I, Flores A, Mendoza-Garcés L, Librado-Osorio RA, Gutiérrez-Juárez R, Domínguez R, Cruz ME. Muscarinic Receptors Types 1 and 2 in the Preoptic-Anterior Hypothalamic Areas Regulate Ovulation Unequally in the Rat Oestrous Cycle. Int J Endocrinol 2017; 2017:4357080. [PMID: 28396684 PMCID: PMC5370522 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4357080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscarinic receptors types 1 (m1AChR) and 2 (m2AChR) in the preoptic and anterior hypothalamus areas (POA-AHA) were counted, and the effects of blocking these receptors on spontaneous ovulation were analysed throughout the rat oestrous cycle. Rats in each phase of the oestrous cycle were assigned to the following experiments: (1) an immunohistochemical study of the number of cells expressing m1AChR or m2AChR in the POA-AHA and (2) analysis of the effects of the unilateral blockade of the m1AChR (pirenzepine, PZP) or m2AChR (methoctramine, MTC) on either side of the POA-AHA on the ovulation rate. The number of m2AChR-immunoreactive cells was significantly higher at 09:00 h on each day of the oestrous cycle in the POA-AHA region, while no changes in the expression profile of m1AChR protein were observed. The ovulation rate in rats treated with PZP on the oestrous day was lower than that in the vehicle group. Animals treated on dioestrous-1 with PZP or MTC had a higher ovulation rate than those in the vehicle group. In contrast, on dioestrous-2, the MTC treatment decreased the ovulation rate. These results suggest that m1AChR or m2AChR in the POA-AHA could participate in the regulation of spontaneous ovulation in rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yadira L. López-Ramírez
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Biology of Reproduction Research Unit, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Kayro López-Ramírez
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Biology of Reproduction Research Unit, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isabel Arrieta-Cruz
- Department of Basic Research, National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Angélica Flores
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Biology of Reproduction Research Unit, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | - Roger Gutiérrez-Juárez
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Roberto Domínguez
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Biology of Reproduction Research Unit, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María Esther Cruz
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Biology of Reproduction Research Unit, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
- *María Esther Cruz:
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ervin KSJ, Mulvale E, Gallagher N, Roussel V, Choleris E. Activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, but not estrogen receptor α or β, rapidly enhances social learning. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 58:51-66. [PMID: 25957002 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Revised: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Social learning is a highly adaptive process by which an animal acquires information from a conspecific. While estrogens are known to modulate learning and memory, much of this research focuses on individual learning. Estrogens have been shown to enhance social learning on a long-term time scale, likely via genomic mechanisms. Estrogens have also been shown to affect individual learning on a rapid time scale through cell-signaling cascades, rather than via genomic effects, suggesting they may also rapidly influence social learning. We therefore investigated the effects of 17β-estradiol and involvement of the estrogen receptors (ERs) using the ERα agonist propyl pyrazole triol, the ERβ agonist diarylpropionitrile, and the G protein-coupled ER 1 (GPER1) agonist G1 on the social transmission of food preferences (STFP) task, within a time scale that focused on the rapid effects of estrogens. General ER activation with 17β-estradiol resulted in a modest facilitation of social learning, with mice showing a preference up to 30min of testing. Specific activation of the GPER1 also rapidly enhanced social learning, with mice showing a socially learned preference up to 2h of testing. ERα activation instead shortened the expression of a socially learned food preference, while ERβ activation had little to no effects. Thus, rapid estrogenic modulation of social learning in the STFP may be the outcome of competing action at the three main receptors. Hence, estrogens' rapid effects on social learning likely depend on the specific ERs present in brain regions recruited during social learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy Sharice Jean Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Mulvale
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicola Gallagher
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Véronique Roussel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bastos CP, Pereira LM, Ferreira-Vieira TH, Drumond LE, Massensini AR, Moraes MFD, Pereira GS. Object recognition memory deficit and depressive-like behavior caused by chronic ovariectomy can be transitorialy recovered by the acute activation of hippocampal estrogen receptors. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 57:14-25. [PMID: 25867995 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that estradiol (E2) replacement therapy is effective on restoring memory deficits and mood disorders that may occur during natural menopause or after surgical ovarian removal (ovariectomy, OVX). However, it is still unknown the effectiveness of acute and localized E2 administration on the effects of chronic OVX. Here we tested the hypothesis that the intra-hippocampal E2 infusion, as well as specific agonists of estrogen receptors (ERs) alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ), are able to mend novel object recognition (NOR) memory deficit and depressive-like behavior caused by 12 weeks of OVX. We found that both ERα and ERβ activation, at earlier stages of consolidation, recovered the NOR memory deficit caused by 12 w of OVX. Conversely, only the ERβ activation was effective in decreasing the depressive-like behavior caused by 12 w of OVX. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of OVX on hippocampal volume and ERs expression. The structural MRI showed no alteration in the hippocampus volume of 12 w OVX animals. Interestingly, ERα expression in the hippocampus decreased after one week of OVX, but increased in 12 w OVX animals. Overall, we may conclude that the chronic estrogen deprivation, induced by 12 weeks of OVX, modulates the hippocampal ERα expression and induces NOR memory deficit and depressive-like behaviors. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that the acute effects of E2 on NOR memory and depressive-like behavior are still apparent even after 12 weeks of OVX.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane P Bastos
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil
| | - Luciana M Pereira
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil
| | - Talita H Ferreira-Vieira
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil
| | - Luciana E Drumond
- Centro de Tecnologia e Pesquisa em Magneto-Ressonância, CTPMAG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil; Universidade Federal de São João Del Rey, Brazil
| | - André R Massensini
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil
| | - Márcio F D Moraes
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil; Centro de Tecnologia e Pesquisa em Magneto-Ressonância, CTPMAG, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Grace S Pereira
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Warner M, Gustafsson JA. DHEA - a precursor of ERβ ligands. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 145:245-7. [PMID: 25125389 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2014.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Revised: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
What is DHEA and why is there so much public interest in this steroid which has been touted as the fountain of youth and is supposed to have all kinds of health benefits? Endocrinologists have been fascinated with DHEA for a long time because of its high production in the fetal adrenals and its continued high levels until the 7th decade of life. Yet there is still little agreement about its physiological functions. In its simplest terms endocrinology is the communication between at least three organs: one sends a message, one releases a hormone into the blood in response to the message and one responds to the hormone. DHEA is produced by a specific zone of the adrenal cortex, the zona reticularis, whose sole function is to produce this steroid. Glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids which are C21 steroids are produced in two other zones of the adrenal cortex called the zona fasicularis and the zona glomerulosa, respectively. Being C21 steroids, they cannot be synthesized from DHEA which is a C19 steroid. To date there is no known hormone which specifically stimulates the zona reticularis and there is no known specific receptor for DHEA. Thus DHEA does not qualify as a hormone. DHEA could have autocrine or paracrine effects but, so far, there is no known effect of DHEA on either the cells of the zona glomerulosa or the zona fasicularis. Of course DHEA could have functions as a local precursor of androgens or estrogens and many studies have reported on the beneficial effects of transdermal or transvaginal administration of DHEA in postmenopausal women. This review will consider two of the potential functions of DHEA as a precursor of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) ligands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Warner
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry - University of Houston, 3605 Cullen Blvd. Science and Engineering Research Center Bldg. 545, Houston, TX 77204-5056, United States.
| | - Jan-Ake Gustafsson
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry - University of Houston, 3605 Cullen Blvd. Science and Engineering Research Center Bldg. 545, Houston, TX 77204-5056, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wang F, Song YF, Yin J, Liu ZH, Mo XD, Wang DG, Gao LP, Jing YH. Spatial memory impairment is associated with hippocampal insulin signals in ovariectomized rats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104450. [PMID: 25099767 PMCID: PMC4123983 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen influences memory formation and insulin sensitivity. Meanwhile, glucose utilization directly affects learning and memory, which are modulated by insulin signals. Therefore, this study investigated whether or not the effect of estrogen on memory is associated with the regulatory effect of this hormone on glucose metabolism. The relative expression of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) in the hippocampus of rats were evaluated by western blot. Insulin level was assessed by ELISA and quantitative RT-PCR, and spatial memory was tested by the Morris water maze. Glucose utilization in the hippocampus was measured by 2-NBDG uptake analysis. Results showed that ovariectomy impaired the spatial memory of rats. These impairments are similar as the female rats treated with the ERβ antagonist tamoxifen (TAM). Estrogen blockade by ovariectomy or TAM treatment obviously decreased glucose utilization. This phenomenon was accompanied by decreased insulin level and GLUT4 expression in the hippocampus. The female rats were neutralized with hippocampal insulin with insulin antibody, which also impaired memory and local glucose consumption. These results indicated that estrogen blockade impaired the spatial memory of the female rats. The mechanisms by which estrogen blockade impaired memory partially contributed to the decline in hippocampal insulin signals, which diminished glucose consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan-Feng Song
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Yin
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zi-Hua Liu
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Mo
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - De-Gui Wang
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Li-Ping Gao
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yu-Hong Jing
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mechanisms of estradiol in fear circuitry: implications for sex differences in psychopathology. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e422. [PMID: 25093600 PMCID: PMC4150242 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, substantial knowledge has been attained about the mechanisms underlying the acquisition and subsequent extinction of conditioned fear. Knowledge gained on the biological basis of Pavlovian conditioning has led to the general acceptance that fear extinction may be a useful model in understanding the underlying mechanisms in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders and may also be a good model for current therapies treating these disorders. Lacking in the current knowledge is how men and women may or may not differ in the biology of fear and its extinction. It is also unclear how the neural correlates of fear extinction may mediate sex differences in the etiology, maintenance, and prevalence of psychiatric disorders. In this review, we begin by highlighting the epidemiological differences in incidence rate. We then discuss how estradiol (E2), a primary gonadal hormone, may modulate the mechanisms of fear extinction and mediate some of the sex differences observed in psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhou L, Fester L, Haghshenas S, de Vrese X, von Hacht R, Gloger S, Brandt N, Bader M, Vollmer G, Rune GM. Oestradiol-induced synapse formation in the female hippocampus: roles of oestrogen receptor subtypes. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:439-47. [PMID: 24779550 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
During the oestrus cycle, varying spine synapse density correlates positively with varying local synthesis of oestradiol in the hippocampus. In this context, the roles of the oestrogen receptor (ER) subtypes ERα and β are not fully understood. In the present study, we used neonatal hippocampal slice cultures from female rats because these cultures synthesise oestradiol and express both receptor subtypes, and inhibition of oestradiol synthesis in these cultures results in spine synapse loss. Using electron microscopy, we tested the effects on spine synapse density in response to agonists of both ERα and ERβ. Application of agonists to the cultures had no effect. After inhibition of oestradiol synthesis, however, agonists of ERα induced spine synapse formation, whereas ERβ agonists led to a reduction in spine synapse density in the CA1 region of these cultures. Consistently, up-regulation of ERβ in the hippocampus of adult female aromatase-deficient mice is paralleled by hippocampus-specific spine synapse loss in this mutant. Finally, we found an increase in spine synapses in the adult female ERβ knockout mouse, but no effect in the adult female ERα knockout mouse. Our data suggest antagonistic roles of ERβ and ERα in spine synapse formation in the female hippocampus, which may contribute to oestrus cyclicity of spine synapse density in the hippocampus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Zhou
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Numpang B, Ke X, Yu X, Callaway C, McKnight R, Joss-Moore L, Lane R. Fetal growth restriction alters hippocampal 17-beta estradiol and estrogen receptor alpha levels in the newborn male rat. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2013; 59:184-90. [PMID: 23631676 DOI: 10.3109/19396368.2013.786767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcomes in affected newborns. The pathogenesis of FGR-associated neurodevelopmental impairment implicates abnormal hippocampal function. The steroid hormone estrogen and its receptor, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), are involved in the normal programming of hippocampal development and structure. However, the impact of FGR on hippocampal estrogen and hippocampal ERα is not well characterized. We hypothesized that FGR will reduce hippocampal and serum levels of 17-beta estradiol and its receptor, ERα, in the newborn rat hippocampus. We further hypothesize that FGR will reduce hippocampal ERα levels in a region-specific manner. To test our hypotheses, we used the well characterized rat model of FGR induced by uteroplacental-insufficiency in the pregnant Sprague-Dawley rat. Hippocampi and serum were obtained from FGR and control day 0 rat pups and examined for hippocampal 17-beta estradiol, serum 17-beta estradiol, and ERα mRNA and protein levels. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine region-specific ERα staining. FGR decreased hippocampal 17-beta estradiol levels in the hippocampi of male newborn rats but not females. Serum 17-beta estradiol levels were not affected by FGR in either gender. FGR decreased hippocampal ERα mRNA levels in males but not females. Hippocampal ERα protein levels by Western blotting were not affected by FGR. However, FGR decreased apparent ERα staining in the cornu ammonis (CA)1, CA3, and dentate gyrus regions in the hippocampi of male newborn rats but not females. We conclude that FGR affects the programming of hippocampal estrogen and hippocampal ERα levels in the newborn rat in a gender-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Numpang
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Maruyama NO, Lucas TFG, Porto CS, Abdalla FMF. Estrogen receptor ESR1 regulates the phospholipase C-inositol phosphate signaling in the hippocampus from rats in proestrous and estrous phases. Steroids 2013; 78:8-14. [PMID: 23123743 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2012.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2012] [Revised: 09/19/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of estrogen receptors in the activation of phospholipase C (PLC)-phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the hippocampus from rats in estrous and proestrous phases. 17β-Estradiol (E2) and ESR1-selective agonist PPT, but not ESR2-selective agonist DPN, induced a rapid increase on total [³H]-inositol phosphate accumulation in the hippocampus from both rats. These effects are mediated by PLC activation, since the inhibition of this protein decreased the total [³H]-inositol phosphate accumulation. The pretreatment with ESR1 and ESR2 antagonist ICI 182,780, but not with GPER antagonist G-15, blocked the total [³H]-inositol phosphate accumulation induced by E2 and PPT, confirming that ESR1 is upstream component regulating this rapid effect. SRC family of protein tyrosine kinases inhibitor PP2 blocked the total [³H]-inositol phosphate accumulation induced by E2 and PPT in hippocampus, suggesting that ESR1 undergoes translocation from the nuclei to the plasma membrane region via SRC to activate rapid signaling pathways. Furthermore, the magnitude of the response to E2 and PPT was higher in hippocampus from rats in proestrous than in estrous. On the other hand, the expression of the ESR1 is higher in hippocampus from rats in estrous than in proestrous, indicating that the regulation of this receptor by estrous cycle does not play a role in the magnitude of the response to E2 and PPT in hippocampus. In conclusion, our results indicate that E2 activates SRC-mediated translocation of ESR1 to the plasma membrane, which results in the activation of PLC-inositol phosphate signaling pathway in rat hippocampus. Thus, these rapid estrogen actions in hippocampus might be a key step mediating cellular events important for learning and memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia O Maruyama
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-estrogen interactions in the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway: implications for normal brain function and disease. Neuroscience 2012; 239:46-66. [PMID: 23276673 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the steroid hormone estrogen exhibit potent effects on hippocampal neurons during development and in adulthood. BDNF and estrogen have also been implicated in the etiology of diverse types of neurological disorders or psychiatric illnesses, or have been discussed as potentially important in treatment. Although both are typically studied independently, it has been suggested that BDNF mediates several of the effects of estrogen in the hippocampus, and that these interactions play a role in the normal brain as well as disease. Here we focus on the mossy fiber (MF) pathway of the hippocampus, a critical pathway in normal hippocampal function, and a prime example of a location where numerous studies support an interaction between BDNF and estrogen in the rodent brain. We first review the temporal and spatially regulated expression of BDNF and estrogen in the MFs, as well as their receptors. Then we consider the results of studies that suggest that 17β-estradiol alters hippocampal function by its influence on BDNF expression in the MF pathway. We also address the hypothesis that estrogen influences the hippocampus by mechanisms related not only to the mature form of BDNF, acting at trkB receptors, but also by regulating the precursor, proBDNF, acting at p75NTR. We suggest that the interactions between BDNF and 17β-estradiol in the MFs are potentially important in the normal function of the hippocampus, and have implications for sex differences in functions that depend on the MFs and in diseases where MF plasticity has been suggested to play an important role, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and addiction.
Collapse
|