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Frau R, Traccis F, Concas L, Cadeddu R, Mosher LJ, Nordkild P, Gaikwad NW, Bortolato M. Prefrontal allopregnanolone synergizes with D 1 receptor activation to disrupt sensorimotor gating in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:1359-1372. [PMID: 37129616 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06375-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex is the best-established index of sensorimotor gating. We documented that the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AP) is necessary to reduce PPI in response to D1 dopamine receptor agonists. Since Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats are poorly sensitive to the PPI-disrupting effects of these drugs, we hypothesized that AP might increase this susceptibility. OBJECTIVES We tested whether AP is sufficient to increase the vulnerability of SD rats to PPI deficits in response to the D1 receptor full agonist SKF82958. METHODS SD rats were tested for PPI after treatment with SKF82958 (0.05-0.3 mg/kg, SC) in combination with either intraperitoneal (1-10 mg/kg) or intracerebral (0.5 μg/μl/side) AP administration into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or nucleus accumbens shell. To rule out potential confounds, we measured whether SKF82958 affected the endogenous mPFC levels of AP. RESULTS SD rats exhibited marked PPI deficits in response to the combination of systemic and intra-mPFC AP with SKF82958 but not with the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole (0.3-0.6 mg/kg, SC). SKF82958 did not elevate mPFC levels of AP but enhanced the content of its precursor progesterone. The PPI deficits caused by SKF82958 in combination with AP were opposed by the AP antagonist isoallopregnanolone (10 mg/kg, IP) and the glutamate NMDA receptor positive modulator CIQ (5 mg/kg, IP). CONCLUSION These results suggest that AP enables the detrimental effects of D1 receptor activation on sensorimotor gating. AP antagonism or glutamatergic modulation counters these effects and may have therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by gating deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
- Guy Everett Laboratory, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Francesco Traccis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luca Concas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Roberto Cadeddu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Laura J Mosher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | | | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
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Zamora-Sánchez CJ, Camacho-Arroyo I. Allopregnanolone: Metabolism, Mechanisms of Action, and Its Role in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010560. [PMID: 36614002 PMCID: PMC9820109 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Allopregnanolone (3α-THP) has been one of the most studied progesterone metabolites for decades. 3α-THP and its synthetic analogs have been evaluated as therapeutic agents for pathologies such as anxiety and depression. Enzymes involved in the metabolism of 3α-THP are expressed in classical and nonclassical steroidogenic tissues. Additionally, due to its chemical structure, 3α-THP presents high affinity and agonist activity for nuclear and membrane receptors of neuroactive steroids and neurotransmitters, such as the Pregnane X Receptor (PXR), membrane progesterone receptors (mPR) and the ionotropic GABAA receptor, among others. 3α-THP has immunomodulator and antiapoptotic properties. It also induces cell proliferation and migration, all of which are critical processes involved in cancer progression. Recently the study of 3α-THP has indicated that low physiological concentrations of this metabolite induce the progression of several types of cancer, such as breast, ovarian, and glioblastoma, while high concentrations inhibit it. In this review, we explore current knowledge on the metabolism and mechanisms of action of 3α-THP in normal and tumor cells.
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Valle-Bautista R, Márquez-Valadez B, Herrera-López G, Griego E, Galván EJ, Díaz NF, Arias-Montaño JA, Molina-Hernández A. Long-Term Functional and Cytoarchitectonic Effects of the Systemic Administration of the Histamine H1 Receptor Antagonist/Inverse Agonist Chlorpheniramine During Gestation in the Rat Offspring Primary Motor Cortex. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:740282. [PMID: 35140581 PMCID: PMC8820484 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.740282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The transient histaminergic system is among the first neurotransmitter systems to appear during brain development in the rat mesencephalon/rhombencephalon. Histamine increases FOXP2-positive deep-layer neuron differentiation of cortical neural stem cells through H1 receptor activation in vitro. The in utero or systemic administration of chlorpheniramine (H1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist) during deep-layer cortical neurogenesis decreases FOXP2 neurons in the developing cortex, and H1R- or histidine decarboxylase-knockout mice show impairment in learning and memory, wakefulness and nociception, functions modulated by the cerebral cortex. Due to the role of H1R in cortical neural stem cell neurogenesis, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the postnatal impact of the systemic administration of chlorpheniramine during deep-layer cortical neuron differentiation (E12–14) in the primary motor cortex (M1) of neonates (P0) and 21-day-old pups (P21). Chlorpheniramine or vehicle were systemically administered (5 mg/kg, i.p.) to pregnant Wistar rats at gestational days 12–14, and the expression and distribution of deep- (FOXP2 and TBR1) and superficial-layer (SATB2) neuronal cortical markers were analyzed in neonates from both groups. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed a reduction in the expression of Satb2 and FoxP2. However, Western blot and immunofluorescence showed increased protein levels in the chlorpheniramine-treated group. In P21 pups, the three markers showed impaired distribution and increased immunofluorescence in the experimental group. The Sholl analysis evidenced altered dendritic arborization of deep-layer neurons, with lower excitability in response to histamine, as evaluated by whole-cell patch-clamp recording, as well as diminished depolarization-evoked [3H]-glutamate release from striatal slices. Overall, these results suggest long-lasting effects of blocking H1Rs during early neurogenesis that may impact the pathways involved in voluntary motor activity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Valle-Bautista
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Berenice Márquez-Valadez
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Herrera-López
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Griego
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Emilio J. Galván
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Néstor-Fabián Díaz
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - José-Antonio Arias-Montaño
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Anayansi Molina-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Anayansi Molina-Hernández, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-4787-312X
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Standeven LR, Olson E, Leistikow N, Payne JL, Osborne LM, Hantsoo L. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Affective Symptoms, and Neuroactive Steroids: a Focus on Allopregnanolone. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2021; 23:36. [PMID: 33881645 PMCID: PMC8060230 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01244-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To provide an overview of existing studies on alterations in gonadal and neuroactive steroids (NASs) and mood symptoms among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies have demonstrated a previously underappreciated association between PCOS and comorbid depression and anxiety. However, most studies on affective symptoms among women with PCOS have been cross-sectional, limiting our knowledge about fluctuations in symptoms over the menstrual cycle and reproductive lifespan for women with PCOS, as well as the potential interplay between NAS alterations and mood symptoms. Changes in the NAS allopregnanolone (ALLO) have been implicated in several reproductive-related psychiatric disorders (e.g., premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and postpartum depression (PPD)) as well as in normal reproductive functioning, warranting further investigation for its potential role in the psychiatric symptoms observed in women with PCOS. Prospective studies evaluating associations between psychiatric symptoms and NAS are needed to elucidate the biological causes of the increased rates of psychiatric symptoms among women with PCOS and inform clinical treatment. ALLO, with its role in normal reproductive function, menstrual dysregulation among women with PCOS, and reproductive-related psychiatric conditions, makes it a particularly intriguing candidate for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R Standeven
- Women's Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Olson
- School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nicole Leistikow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer L Payne
- Women's Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren M Osborne
- Women's Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liisa Hantsoo
- Women's Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Allopregnanolone reversion of estrogen and progesterone memory impairment: interplay with serotonin release. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:1321-1328. [DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02052-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Acevedo-Rodriguez A, Kauffman AS, Cherrington BD, Borges CS, Roepke TA, Laconi M. Emerging insights into hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulation and interaction with stress signalling. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30. [PMID: 29524268 PMCID: PMC6129417 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction and fertility are regulated via hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Control of this reproductive axis occurs at all levels, including the brain and pituitary, and allows for the promotion or inhibition of gonadal sex steroid secretion and function. In addition to guiding proper gonadal development and function, gonadal sex steroids also act in negative- and positive-feedback loops to regulate reproductive circuitry in the brain, including kisspeptin neurones, thereby modulating overall HPG axis status. Additional regulation is also provided by sex steroids made within the brain, including neuroprogestins. Furthermore, because reproduction and survival need to be coordinated and balanced, the HPG axis is able to modulate (and be modulated by) stress hormone signalling, including cortiscosterone, from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This review covers recent data related to the neural, hormonal and stress regulation of the HPG axis and emerging interactions between the HPG and HPA axes, focusing on actions at the level of the brain and pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Acevedo-Rodriguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A S Kauffman
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - B D Cherrington
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - C S Borges
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - T A Roepke
- Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - M Laconi
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Universidad Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Ambientales, Universidad Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
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Loiseau C, Cayetanot F, Joubert F, Perrin-Terrin AS, Cardot P, Fiamma MN, Frugiere A, Straus C, Bodineau L. Current Perspectives for the use of Gonane Progesteronergic Drugs in the Treatment of Central Hypoventilation Syndromes. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:1433-1454. [PMID: 28721821 PMCID: PMC6295933 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170719104605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central alveolar hypoventilation syndromes (CHS) encompass neurorespiratory diseases resulting from congenital or acquired neurological disorders. Hypercapnia, acidosis, and hypoxemia resulting from CHS negatively affect physiological functions and can be lifethreatening. To date, the absence of pharmacological treatment implies that the patients must receive assisted ventilation throughout their lives. OBJECTIVE To highlight the relevance of determining conditions in which using gonane synthetic progestins could be of potential clinical interest for the treatment of CHS. METHODS The mechanisms by which gonanes modulate the respiratory drive were put into the context of those established for natural progesterone and other synthetic progestins. RESULTS The clinical benefits of synthetic progestins to treat respiratory diseases are mixed with either positive outcomes or no improvement. A benefit for CHS patients has only recently been proposed. We incidentally observed restoration of CO2 chemosensitivity, the functional deficit of this disease, in two adult CHS women by desogestrel, a gonane progestin, used for contraception. This effect was not observed by another group, studying a single patient. These contradictory findings are probably due to the complex nature of the action of desogestrel on breathing and led us to carry out mechanistic studies in rodents. Our results show that desogestrel influences the respiratory command by modulating the GABAA and NMDA signaling in the respiratory network, medullary serotoninergic systems, and supramedullary areas. CONCLUSION Gonanes show promise for improving ventilation of CHS patients, although the conditions of their use need to be better understood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Laurence Bodineau
- Address correspondence to this author at the Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, INSERM, UMR_S1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75013, Paris, France; Tel: 33 1 40 77 97 15; Fax: 33 1 40 77 97 89; E-mail:
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Pelegrina LT, Cáceres AR, Giuliani FA, Asensio JA, Parborell F, Laconi MR. A single dose of allopregnanolone affects the ovarian morphology and steroidogenesis. Reproduction 2016; 153:REP-16-0463. [PMID: 27777323 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone, a progesterone metabolite, is one of the best characterized neurosteroids. In a dose that mimics serum levels during stress, allopregnanolone inhibits sexual receptivity and ovulation and induces a decrease in luteinizing hormone levels. The aim of this work was to examine the effect of an intracerebroventricular administration of allopregnanolone on ovarian morphophysiology, serum and tissue levels of progesterone and estrogen, and enzymatic activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 3α-hydroxysteroid oxido-reductase in the ovary and in the medial basal hypothalamus on the morning of estrus. Ovarian morphology was analyzed under light microscopy. The hormone assays were performed by radioimmunoassay. The enzymatic activities were measured by spectrophotometric analysis. The morphometric analysis revealed that, in allopregnanolone-treated animals, the number of secondary and Graafian follicles was decreased while that of atretic follicles and cysts was significantly increased. Some cysts showed luteinized unruptured follicles. There were no differences in the number of tertiary follicles or corpora lutea in comparison with the corresponding control groups. In allopregnanolone-treated animals, progesterone serum levels were increased, while ovarian progesterone levels were decreased. Moreover, 3β-HSD and 3α-HSOR enzymatic activities were increased in the medial basal hypothalamus while ovarian levels were decreased. The enzyme 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase showed the opposite profile. The results of this study showed that allopregnanolone interferes on ovarian steroidogenesis and ovarian morphophysiology in rats, providing a clear evidence for the role of this neurosteroid in the control of reproductive function under stress situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura T Pelegrina
- L Pelegrina, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología ovárica y Neurobiología, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU-CONICET), Inbiomed-UM. , Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Antonella Rr Cáceres
- A Cáceres, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología ovárica y Neurobiología. , Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU-CONICET), Inbiomed-UM. Universidad Juan Agustin Maza, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Fernando A Giuliani
- F Giuliani, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología ovárica y Neurobiología. , Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU-CONICET), Inbiomed-UM. , Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Joana A Asensio
- J Asensio, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología ovárica y Neurobiología. , Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU-CONICET), Inbiomed-UM, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Fernanda Parborell
- F Parborell, Ovarian pathophysiology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
| | - Myriam Raquel Laconi
- M Laconi, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología ovárica y Neurobiología. , Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU-CONICET), Inbiomed-UM, Mendoza, Argentina
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Rossetti MF, Cambiasso MJ, Holschbach MA, Cabrera R. Oestrogens and Progestagens: Synthesis and Action in the Brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28. [PMID: 27306650 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
When steroids, such as pregnenolone, progesterone and oestrogen, are synthesised de novo in neural tissues, they are more specifically referred to as neurosteroids. These neurosteroids bind specific receptors to promote essential brain functions. Pregnenolone supports cognition and protects mouse hippocampal cells against glutamate and amyloid peptide-induced cell death. Progesterone promotes myelination, spinogenesis, synaptogenesis, neuronal survival and dendritic growth. Allopregnanolone increases hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal survival and cognitive functions. Oestrogens, such as oestradiol, regulate synaptic plasticity, reproductive behaviour, aggressive behaviour and learning. In addition, neurosteroids are neuroprotective in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, brain injury and ageing. Using in situ hybridisation and/or immunohistochemistry, steroidogenic enzymes, including cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5-Δ4 isomerase, cytochrome P450arom, steroid 5α-reductase and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, have been detected in numerous brain regions, including the hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. In the present review, we summarise some of the studies related to the synthesis and function of oestrogens and progestagens in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Rossetti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - M J Cambiasso
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M A Holschbach
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - R Cabrera
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, INBIOMED-IMBECU-CONICET, Universidad de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
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Progesterone Exerts a Neuromodulatory Effect on Turning Behavior of Hemiparkinsonian Male Rats: Expression of 3 α -Hydroxysteroid Oxidoreductase and Allopregnanolone as Suggestive of GABAA Receptors Involvement. PARKINSONS DISEASE 2015; 2015:431690. [PMID: 25918669 PMCID: PMC4396568 DOI: 10.1155/2015/431690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing amount of evidence for a neuroprotective role of progesterone and its neuroactive metabolite, allopregnanolone, in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. By using a model of hemiparkinsonism in male rats, injection of the neurotoxic 6-OHDA in left striatum, we studied progesterone's effects on rotational behavior induced by amphetamine or apomorphine. Also, in order to find potential explanatory mechanisms, we studied expression and activity of nigrostriatal 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase, the enzyme that catalyzes progesterone to its active metabolite allopregnanolone. Coherently, we tested allopregnanolone for a possible neuromodulatory effect on rotational behavior. Also, since allopregnanolone is known as a GABAA modulator, we finally examined the action of GABAA antagonist bicuculline. We found that progesterone, in addition to an apparent neuroprotective effect, also increased ipsilateral expression and activity of 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase. It was interesting to note that ipsilateral administration of allopregnanolone reversed a clear sign of motor neurodegeneration, that is, contralateral rotational behavior. A possible GABAA involvement modulated by allopregnanolone was shown by the blocking effect of bicuculline. Our results suggest that early administration of progesterone possibly activates genomic mechanisms that promote neuroprotection subchronically. This, in turn, could be partially mediated by fast, nongenomic, actions of allopregnanolone acting as an acute modulator of GABAergic transmission.
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Geraghty AC, Kaufer D. Glucocorticoid Regulation of Reproduction. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015. [PMID: 26215998 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2895-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It is well accepted that stress, measured by increased glucocorticoid secretion, leads to profound reproductive dysfunction. In times of stress, glucocorticoids activate many parts of the fight or flight response, mobilizing energy and enhancing survival, while inhibiting metabolic processes that are not necessary for survival in the moment. This includes reproduction, an energetically costly procedure that is very finely regulated. In the short term, this is meant to be beneficial, so that the organism does not waste precious energy needed for survival. However, long-term inhibition can lead to persistent reproductive dysfunction, even if no longer stressed. This response is mediated by the increased levels of circulating glucocorticoids, which orchestrate complex inhibition of the entire reproductive axis. Stress and glucocorticoids exhibits both central and peripheral inhibition of the reproductive hormonal axis. While this has long been recognized as an issue, understanding the complex signaling mechanism behind this inhibition remains somewhat of a mystery. What makes this especially difficult is attempting to differentiate the many parts of both of these hormonal axes, and new neuropeptide discoveries in the last decade in the reproductive field have added even more complexity to an already complicated system. Glucocorticoids (GCs) and other hormones within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (as well as contributors in the sympathetic system) can modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis at all levels-GCs can inhibit release of GnRH from the hypothalamus, inhibit gonadotropin synthesis and release in the pituitary, and inhibit testosterone synthesis and release from the gonads, while also influencing gametogenesis and sexual behavior. This chapter is not an exhaustive review of all the known literature, however is aimed at giving a brief look at both the central and peripheral effects of glucocorticoids on the reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Geraghty
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Rižner TL, Penning TM. Role of aldo-keto reductase family 1 (AKR1) enzymes in human steroid metabolism. Steroids 2014; 79:49-63. [PMID: 24189185 PMCID: PMC3870468 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2013.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Human aldo-keto reductases AKR1C1-AKR1C4 and AKR1D1 play essential roles in the metabolism of all steroid hormones, the biosynthesis of neurosteroids and bile acids, the metabolism of conjugated steroids, and synthetic therapeutic steroids. These enzymes catalyze NADPH dependent reductions at the C3, C5, C17 and C20 positions on the steroid nucleus and side-chain. AKR1C1-AKR1C4 act as 3-keto, 17-keto and 20-ketosteroid reductases to varying extents, while AKR1D1 acts as the sole Δ(4)-3-ketosteroid-5β-reductase (steroid 5β-reductase) in humans. AKR1 enzymes control the concentrations of active ligands for nuclear receptors and control their ligand occupancy and trans-activation, they also regulate the amount of neurosteroids that can modulate the activity of GABAA and NMDA receptors. As such they are involved in the pre-receptor regulation of nuclear and membrane bound receptors. Altered expression of individual AKR1C genes is related to development of prostate, breast, and endometrial cancer. Mutations in AKR1C1 and AKR1C4 are responsible for sexual development dysgenesis and mutations in AKR1D1 are causative in bile-acid deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tea Lanišnik Rižner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Trevor M Penning
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Jeffrey M, Lang M, Gane J, Chow E, Wu C, Zhang L. Novel anticonvulsive effects of progesterone in a mouse model of hippocampal electrical kindling. Neuroscience 2013; 257:65-75. [PMID: 24215976 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone is a known anticonvulsant, with its inhibitory effects generally attributed to its secondary metabolite, 5α,3α-tetrahydroprogesterone (THP), and THP's enhancement of GABAA receptor activity. Accumulating evidence, however, suggests that progesterone may have non-genomic actions independent of the GABAA receptor. In this study, we explored THP/GABAA-independent anticonvulsive actions of progesterone in a mouse model of hippocampal kindling and in mouse entorhinal slices in vitro. Specifically, we examined the effects of progesterone in kindled mice with or without pretreatments with finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor known to block the metabolism of progesterone to THP. In addition, we examined the effects of progesterone on entorhinal epileptiform potentials in the presence of a GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin and finasteride. Adult male mice were kindled via a daily stimulation protocol. Electroencephalographic (EEG) discharges were recorded from the hippocampus or cortex to assess "focal" or "generalized" seizure activity. Kindled mice were treated with intra-peritoneal injections of progesterone (10, 35, 100 and 160mg/kg) with or without finasteride pretreatment (50 or 100mg/kg), THP (1, 3.5, 10 and 30mg/kg), midazolam (2mg/kg) and carbamazepine (50mg/kg). Entorhinal cortical slices were prepared from naïve young mice, and repetitive epileptiform potentials were induced by 4-aminopyridine (100μM), picrotoxin (100μM) and finasteride (1μM). Pretreatment with finasteride did not abolish the anticonvulsant effects of progesterone. In finasteride-pretreated mice, progesterone at 100 and 160mg/kg decreased cortical but not hippocampal afterdischarges (ADs). Carbamazepine mimicked the effects of progesterone with finasteride pretreatments in decreasing cortical discharges and motor seizures, whereas midazolam produced effects similar to progesterone alone or THP in decreasing hippocampal ADs and motor seizures. In brain slices, progesterone at 1μM inhibited entorhinal epileptiform potentials in the presence of picrotoxin and finasteride. We suggest that progesterone may have THP/GABAA-dependent and independent anticonvulsive actions in the hippocampal-kindled mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Jeffrey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Canada; Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada; University of Toronto Epilepsy Research Program, Canada
| | - M Lang
- Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada
| | - J Gane
- Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada
| | - E Chow
- Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada
| | - C Wu
- Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada; University of Toronto Epilepsy Research Program, Canada
| | - L Zhang
- Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Toronto, Canada; Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada; University of Toronto Epilepsy Research Program, Canada.
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Nakhate KT, Subhedar NK, Bharne AP, Singru PS, Kokare DM. Involvement of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide in the hyperphagic and body weight promoting effects of allopregnanolone in rats. Brain Res 2013; 1532:44-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Giuliani FA, Escudero C, Casas S, Bazzocchini V, Yunes R, Laconi MR, Cabrera R. Allopregnanolone and puberty: modulatory effect on glutamate and GABA release and expression of 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase in the hypothalamus of female rats. Neuroscience 2013; 243:64-75. [PMID: 23562943 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.03.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Revised: 02/26/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic release of glutamate and GABA regulates neurosecretory functions that may control the onset of puberty. This release may be influenced by neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone. Using superfusion experiments we examined the role of allopregnanolone on the K(+)-evoked and basal [(3)H]-glutamate and [(3)H]-GABA release from mediobasal hypothalamus and anterior preoptic area in prepubertal, vaginal opening and pubertal (P) rats and evaluated its modulatory effect on GABAA and NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartic acid) receptors. Also, we examined the hypothalamic activity and mRNA expression of 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (3α-HSOR) - enzyme that synthesizes allopregnanolone - using a spectrophotometric method and RT-PCR, respectively. Allopregnanolone increased both the K(+)-evoked [(3)H]-glutamate and [(3)H]-GABA release in P rats, being the former effect mediated by the modulation of NMDA receptors - as was reverted by Mg(2+) and by the NMDA receptor antagonist AP-7 and the latter by the modulation of NMDA and GABAA receptors - as was reverted by Mg(2+) and the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline. The neurosteroid also increased the basal release of [(3)H]-glutamate in VO rats in an effect that was dependent on the modulation of NMDA receptors as was reverted by Mg(2+). On the other hand we show that allopregnanolone reduced the basal release of [(3)H]-GABA in P rats although we cannot elucidate the precise mechanism by which the neurosteroid exerted this latter effect. The enzymatic activity and the mRNA expression of 3α-HSOR were both increased in P rats regarding the other two studied stages of sexual development. These results suggest an important physiological function of allopregnanolone in the hypothalamus of the P rat where it might be involved in the 'fine tuning' of neurosecretory functions related to the biology of reproduction of the female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- F A Giuliani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED), Universidad de Mendoza, IMBECU-CONICET, Paseo Dr. Emilio Descotte 720, 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
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Casas S, Giuliani F, Cremaschi F, Yunes R, Cabrera R. Neuromodulatory effect of progesterone on the dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic activities in a male rat model of Parkinson's disease. Neurol Res 2013; 35:719-25. [PMID: 23561326 DOI: 10.1179/1743132812y.0000000142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Progesterone has been reported to have a neuroprotective role in depression-like rats in a hemiparkinsonian model of the disease. In this work, we investigate if this hormone affects the three principal neurochemicals striatal systems (dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic) that are involved in the physiopathology of the disease in a hemiparkinsonim male rat model at 8 weeks post-chemical injury. METHODS For this purpose, we design three experimental groups: (1) sham group; (2) hemiparkinsonian group; and (3) hemiparkinsonian group subcutaneously injected with progesterone at 7 days post-chemical injury. Animals were tested in an automated rotational device at 8 weeks post-chemical injury. After behavioral test, K(+)-evoked [(3)H]-dopamine, [(3)H]-glutamate, and [(3)H]-gamma aminobutyric acid release from striatum slices were analyzed by superfusion experiments. RESULTS The hemiparkinsonian group showed distinctive alterations that are produced by neurodegeneration of left nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway by 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide (6-OHDA). On the other hand, the administration of progesterone 7 days after the injection of the neurotoxin was able to (1) improve the K(+)-evoked [(3)H]-dopamine release from the damaged striata (left); (2) avoid significant increase in the K(+)-evoked [(3)H]-glutamate release from the left striata; and (3) progesterone does not modify the K(+)-evoked [(3)H]-gamma aminobutyric acid release from the left striata. DISCUSSION These results suggest that progesterone does have neuroprotective and neuromodulatory effects on striatal neurotransmission systems in the hemiparkinsonian male rats. The possible mechanisms would involve genomic and non-genomic actions of this neuroactive steroid which would modulate the activity of dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic pathways.
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Velíšková J, Desantis KA. Sex and hormonal influences on seizures and epilepsy. Horm Behav 2013; 63:267-77. [PMID: 22504305 PMCID: PMC3424285 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2012] [Revised: 03/28/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is the third most common chronic neurological disorder. Clinical and experimental evidence supports the role of sex and influence of sex hormones on seizures and epilepsy as well as alterations of the endocrine system and levels of sex hormones by epileptiform activity. Conversely, seizures are sensitive to changes in sex hormone levels, which in turn may affect the seizure-induced neuronal damage. The effects of reproductive hormones on neuronal excitability and seizure-induced damage are complex to contradictory and depend on different mechanisms, which have to be accounted for in data interpretation. Both estradiol and progesterone/allopregnanolone may have beneficial effects for patients with epilepsy. Individualized hormonal therapy should be considered as adjunctive treatment in patients with epilepsy to improve seizure control as well as quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Velíšková
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
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Christensen A, Bentley GE, Cabrera R, Ortega HH, Perfito N, Wu TJ, Micevych P. Hormonal regulation of female reproduction. Horm Metab Res 2012; 44:587-91. [PMID: 22438212 PMCID: PMC3647363 DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1306301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is an event that requires the coordination of peripheral organs with the nervous system to ensure that the internal and external environments are optimal for successful procreation of the species. This is accomplished by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that coordinates reproductive behavior with ovulation. The primary signal from the central nervous system is gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which modulates the activity of anterior pituitary gonadotropes regulating follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) release. As ovarian follicles develop they release estradiol, which negatively regulates further release of GnRH and FSH. As estradiol concentrations peak they trigger the surge release of GnRH, which leads to LH release inducing ovulation. Release of GnRH within the central nervous system helps modulate reproductive behaviors providing a node at which control of reproduction is regulated. To address these issues, this review focuses on several critical questions. How is the HPG axis regulated in species with different reproductive strategies? What internal and external conditions modulate the synthesis and release of GnRH? How does GnRH modulate reproductive behavior within the hypothalamus? How does disease shift the activity of the HPG axis?
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Affiliation(s)
- A Christensen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Escudero C, Casas S, Giuliani F, Bazzocchini V, García S, Yunes R, Cabrera R. Allopregnanolone prevents memory impairment: Effect on mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of hippocampal 3-α hydroxysteroid oxide-reductase. Brain Res Bull 2012; 87:280-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Revised: 11/03/2011] [Accepted: 11/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Micevych P, Sinchak K. The Neurosteroid Progesterone Underlies Estrogen Positive Feedback of the LH Surge. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2011; 2:90. [PMID: 22654832 PMCID: PMC3356049 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2011.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2011] [Accepted: 11/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding the steroid regulation of neural function has rapidly evolved in the past decades. Not long ago the prevailing thoughts were that peripheral steroid hormones carried information to the brain which passively responded to these steroids. These steroid actions were slow, taking hours to days to be realized because they regulated gene expression. Over the past three decades, discoveries of new steroid receptors, rapid membrane-initiated signaling mechanisms, and de novo neurosteroidogenesis have shed new light on the complexity of steroids actions within the nervous system. Sexual differentiation of the brain during development occurs predominately through timed steroid-mediated expression of proteins and long term epigenetic modifications. In contrast across the estrous cycle, estradiol release from developing ovarian follicles initially increases slowly and then at proestrus increases rapidly. This pattern of estradiol release acts through both classical genomic mechanisms and rapid membrane-initiated signaling in the brain to coordinate reproductive behavior and physiology. This review focuses on recently discovered estrogen receptor-α membrane signaling mechanisms that estradiol utilizes during estrogen positive feedback to stimulate de novo progesterone synthesis within the hypothalamus to trigger the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge important for ovulation and estrous cyclicity. The activation of these signaling pathways appears to be coordinated by the rising and waning of estradiol throughout the estrous cycle and integral to the negative and positive feedback mechanisms of estradiol. This differential responsiveness is part of the timing mechanism triggering the LH surge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Micevych
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, Brain Research Institute, University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
- *Correspondence: Paul Micevych, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1763, USA. e-mail:
| | - Kevin Sinchak
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State UniversityLong Beach, CA, USA
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