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Macedo BL, Veloso MF, Dias IB, Ayub JGM, Beijamini V. Sex differences in the anticompulsive-like effect of memantine: Involvement of nitric oxide pathway but not AMPA receptors. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114834. [PMID: 38142859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114834] [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] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Memantine, an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, has been examined as a potential treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Yet, there is limited knowledge regarding how it works to reduce compulsive behaviour and whether it has different effects on individuals based on their sex. Herein, we investigated if there are sex differences in the anticompulsive-like effect of memantine in adult Swiss mice. Additionally, we explored whether the nitric oxide (NO) pathway and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors play a role in memantine's effects. To start, we assessed the impact of a single intraperitoneal dose of memantine (at 3, 5, and 10 mg/kg) on behaviours exhibited in the open field test (OFT) and the marble-burying test (MBT), the latter being a predictive test for anticompulsive effects. All doses of memantine reduced marble-burying behaviour in both male and female mice without affecting their locomotor activity in the OFT. This anticompulsive-like effect was also confirmed in another predictive test, the nest-building test, with the highest memantine dose (10 mg/kg) reducing nest-building behaviour without significant differences between male and female mice. We observed that pre-treatment with L-arginine, a NO precursor, mitigated the anticompulsive-like effect of memantine in male mice but had no effect in female mice in the MBT. Finally, NBQX, an AMPA receptor antagonist, did not block the anticompulsive-like effect of memantine. In summary, our study suggests that the anticompulsive-like effect of memantine does not appear to be sex-specific, does not depend on AMPA receptors, and involves the NO pathway primarily in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno Lopes Macedo
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Health Sciences Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Mariana Friedrich Veloso
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Isabella Braun Dias
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Júlia Grigorini Mori Ayub
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Health Sciences Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Beijamini
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Health Sciences Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Centre, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
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An P, Zhao XC, Liu MJ, You YQ, Li JY. Gender-based differences in neuroprotective effects of hydrogen gas against intracerebral hemorrhage-induced depression. Neurochem Int 2022; 153:105276. [PMID: 34995727 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-stroke depression (PSD) severely affects recovery in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Although hydrogen gas (H2) exerts excellent neuroprotective effects in patients with ICH, there are sex-based differences in H2 efficacy in several diseases. Herein, we determined whether estrogen increases susceptibility to the neuroprotective effects of H2 in males with ICH-induced depression. METHODS A rodent model of ICH in the basal ganglia was established using autologous blood injection (30 μL). Mice were treated with 2.9% H2 for 2 h daily for 3 days post-ICH. Estrogen (1 mg/kg) was administered by subcutaneous injection daily for 3 days to male mice post-ICH. Thirty days post-ICH, PSD was evaluated by sucrose preference, forced swimming, and 3-chamber social tests. Following the completion of behavioral tests, levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), astrocytic activation, phosphorylated (p)-NF-κB-positive astrocytes, p-NF-κB, p-IKKβ, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression were determined. RESULTS Compared with female mice, H2 administration post-ICH exhibited fewer neuroprotective effects, including decreased sucrose consumption and time spent sniffing a novel mouse, increased immobility time, downregulated total SOD content, upregulated ROS content and p-NF-κB levels, and elevated astrocyte branches, whereas estrogen enhanced the neuroprotective effects of H2 in male mice. A reduced number of p-NF-κB-positive astrocytes, downregulated expression of p-NF-κB, p-IKKβ, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the amygdala were demonstrated in ICH-males treated with estrogen plus H2. CONCLUSIONS Estrogen was responsible for increased H2 sensitivity in male mice with ICH. The underlying mechanism may be associated with the suppression of NF-κB signaling in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping An
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Life Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Chun Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Man-Jia Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yu-Qing You
- Department of Anesthesiology, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing-Ya Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
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Balasuriya GK, Nugapitiya SS, Hill-Yardin EL, Bornstein JC. Nitric Oxide Regulates Estrus Cycle Dependent Colonic Motility in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:647555. [PMID: 34658750 PMCID: PMC8511480 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.647555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Women are more susceptible to functional bowel disorders than men and the severity of their symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and bloating changes over the menstrual cycle, suggesting a role for sex hormones in gastrointestinal function. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the gut and blockade of nitric oxide synthase (NOS; responsible for NO synthesis) increases colonic motility in male mice ex vivo. We assessed the effects of NOS inhibition on colonic motility in female mice using video imaging analysis of colonic motor complexes (CMCs). To understand interactions between NO and estrogen in the gut, we also quantified neuronal NOS and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-expressing myenteric neurons in estrus and proestrus female mice using immunofluorescence. Mice in estrus had fewer CMCs under control conditions (6 ± 1 per 15 min, n = 22) compared to proestrus (8 ± 1 per 15 min, n = 22, One-way ANOVA, p = 0.041). During proestrus, the NOS antagonist N-nitro-L-arginine (NOLA) increased CMC numbers compared to controls (189 ± 46%). In contrast, NOLA had no significant effect on CMC numbers during estrus. During estrus, we observed more NOS-expressing myenteric neurons (48 ± 2%) than during proestrus (39 ± 1%, n = 3, p = 0.035). Increased nuclear expression of ERα was observed in estrus which coincided with an altered motility response to NOLA in contrast with proestrus when ERα was largely cytoplasmic. In conclusion, we confirm a cyclic and sexually dimorphic effect of NOS activity in female mouse colon, which could be due to genomic effects of estrogens via ERα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri K Balasuriya
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Saseema S Nugapitiya
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Joel C Bornstein
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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An G, Zhang Y, Fan L, Chen J, Wei M, Li C, Chen X, Zhang L, Yang D, Wang J. Integrative Analysis of Vaginal Microorganisms and Serum Metabolomics in Rats With Estrous Cycle Disorder Induced by Long-Term Heat Exposure Based on 16S rDNA Gene Sequencing and LC/MS-Based Metabolomics. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:595716. [PMID: 33738264 PMCID: PMC7962411 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.595716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Long term heat exposure (HE) leads to estrous cycle disorder (ECD) in female rats and damages reproductive function. However, the regulation mechanism of vaginal microorganisms and serum metabolomics remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of microbes on the vaginal secretions of rats with ECD and describe the serum metabolomics characteristics and their relationship with vaginal microorganisms. The alterations in the serum levels of neurotransmitters were used to verify the possible regulatory pathways. The relative abundance, composition, and colony interaction network of microorganisms in the vaginal secretions of rats with ECD changed significantly. The metabolomics analysis identified 22 potential biomarkers in the serum including lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and mammalian target of rapamycin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling pathways. Further, 52 pairs of vaginal microbiota–serum metabolites correlations (21 positive and 31 negative) were determined. The abundance of Gardnerella correlated positively with the metabolite L-arginine concentration and negatively with the oleic acid concentration. Further, a negative correlation was found between the abundance of Pseudomonas and the L-arginine concentration and between the metabolite benzoic acid concentration and the abundance of Adlercreutzia. These four bacteria–metabolite pairs had a direct or indirect relationship with the estrous cycle and reproduction. The glutamine, glutamate, and dopamine levels were significantly uncontrolled. The former two were closely related to GnRH signaling pathways involved in the development and regulation of HE-induced ECD in rats. Serum neurotransmitters partly reflected the regulatory effect of vaginal microorganisms on the host of HE-induced ECD, and glutamatergic neurotransmitters might be closely related to the alteration in vaginal microorganisms. These findings might help comprehend the mechanism of HE-induced ECD and propose a new intervention based on vaginal microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- GaiHong An
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Central Hospital of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin, China
| | - LiJun Fan
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - JiaJun Chen
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - MengFan Wei
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - XueWei Chen
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - DanFeng Yang
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Operational Medicine, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
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Marraudino M, Carrillo B, Bonaldo B, Llorente R, Campioli E, Garate I, Pinos H, Garcia-Segura LM, Collado P, Grassi D. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivity in the Rat Hypothalamus Is Widely Distributed in Neurons, Astrocytes, and Oligodendrocytes, Fluctuates during the Estrous Cycle, and Is Sexually Dimorphic. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:660-677. [PMID: 32570260 DOI: 10.1159/000509583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The membrane-associated G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) mediates the regulation by estradiol of arginine-vasopressin immunoreactivity in the supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of female rats and is involved in the estrogenic control of hypothalamic regulated functions, such as food intake, sexual receptivity, and lordosis behavior. OBJECTIVE To assess GPER distribution in the rat hypothalamus. METHODS GPER immunoreactivity was assessed in different anatomical subdivisions of five selected hypothalamic regions of young adult male and cycling female rats: the arcuate nucleus, the lateral hypothalamus, the paraventricular nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. GPER immunoreactivity was colocalized with NeuN as a marker of mature neurons, GFAP as a marker of astrocytes, and CC1 as a marker of mature oligodendrocytes. RESULTS GPER immunoreactivity was detected in hypothalamic neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Sex and regional differences and changes during the estrous cycle were detected in the total number of GPER-immunoreactive cells and in the proportion of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes that were GPER-immunoreactive. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that estrogenic regulation of hypothalamic function through GPER may be different in males and females and may fluctuate during the estrous cycle in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Marraudino
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini," Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Beatriz Carrillo
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Brigitta Bonaldo
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini," Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ricardo Llorente
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elia Campioli
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iciar Garate
- Department of Physiotherapy, Podology, and Dance, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Pinos
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Collado
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain,
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain,
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Oliveira LLB, Del Bianco-Borges B, Franci CR. Estradiol and the feeding state modulate the interaction between leptin and the nitrergic system in female rats. Neuropeptides 2020; 84:102096. [PMID: 33059245 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2020.102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Leptin mediates the interaction between reproductive function and energy balance. However, leptin receptors are not expressed in neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), likely indicating an indirect action through interneurons. Among likely neurons that modulate the secretion of GnRH are NO (nitric oxide) neurons. We assessed whether estradiol and feeding conditions modulate a possible interaction between leptin and NO in brain areas related to the control of reproductive function. Estradiol-treated and untreated ovariectomized rats were normally fed or fasted for 48 h. Then, saline (control) or leptin (3 μg/1 μl) intracerebroventricular microinjections were administered, and after thirty minutes, the brains collected subsequent to the decapitation or transcardially perfusion. Leptin and estradiol increased NO synthase (nNOS) gene expression (RT-PCR) and content (Western blotting) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) only in fasted rats. Leptin increased: 1-phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3(pSTAT3) (immunohistochemistry) in the MPOA and various hypothalamic nuclei [arcuate (ARC); ventromedial (VMH); dorsal/ventral dorsomedial (dDMH/vDMH); premammilar ventral (PMV)], effects potentiated by estradiol/fasting interaction; 2- nNOS/pSTAT3 coexpression in the MPOA only in estradiol-treated, fasted rats; 3- nNOS-immunoreactive cell expression in the VMH, DMH and PMV (areas related to reproductive function control) of estradiol -treated rats. Thus, when leptin is reduced during fasting, leptin replacement effectively increased the expression of nitric oxide, which activated the HPG axis only in the presence of estradiol. Estradiol modulates the nitrergic system, leptin sensitivity and consequently leptin's effects on the nitrergic system in hypothalamus and in particular vDMH and PMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L B Oliveira
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Department of Physiology, University of São Paulo, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - C R Franci
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Department of Physiology, University of São Paulo, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Affective dimensions of pain and region -specific involvement of nitric oxide in the development of empathic hyperalgesia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10141. [PMID: 32576847 PMCID: PMC7311399 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66930-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy for pain depends on the ability to feel, recognize, comprehend and share painful emotional conditions of others. In this study, we investigated the role of NO in a rat model of empathic pain. Pain was socially transferred from the sibling demonstrator (SD) who experienced five formalin injection to the naïve sibling observer (SO) through observation. SO rats received L-NAME (a nonspecific NO synthase inhibitor) or L-arginine (a precursor of NO) prior to observing the SD. Nociception, and concentrations of NO metabolites (NOx) in the serum, left and right hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum were evaluated. Nociceptive responses were significantly increased in the pain-observing groups. NOx levels measured 24 h after the last pain observation using the Griess method, were indicative of NOx concentration decreases and increases in the left hippocampus and cerebellum, respectively. There was an increase in tissue concentration of NOx in cerebellum and prefrontal cortex in both pain and observer groups 7 days after the fifth formalin injection. Our results suggest that NO is involved in development of empathic hyperalgesia, and observation of sibling’s pain can change NO metabolites in different brain regions in observer rats.
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Chong PS, Poon CH, Fung ML, Guan L, Steinbusch HWM, Chan YS, Lim WL, Lim LW. Distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in adult male Sprague-Dawley rat brain. Acta Histochem 2019; 121:151437. [PMID: 31492421 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal NOS (nNOS) accounts for most of the NO production in the nervous system that modulates synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Although previous studies have selectively described the localisation of nNOS in specific brain regions, a comprehensive distribution profile of nNOS in the brain is lacking. Here we provided a detailed morphological characterization on the rostro-caudal distribution of neurons and fibres exhibiting positive nNOS-immunoreactivity in adult Sprague-Dawley rat brain. Our results demonstrated that neurons and fibres in the brain regions that exhibited high nNOS immunoreactivity include the olfactory-related areas, intermediate endopiriform nucleus, Islands of Calleja, subfornical organ, ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, parafascicular thalamic nucleus, superior colliculus, lateral terminal nucleus, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, periaqueductal gray, dorsal raphe nucleus, supragenual nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, and the cerebellum. Moderate nNOS immunoreactivity was detected in the cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and the spinal cord. Finally, low NOS immunoreactivity were found in the corpus callosum, fornix, globus pallidus, anterior commissure, and the dorsal hippocampal commissure. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive view of the morphology and localisation of nNOS immunoreactivity in the brain that would contribute to a better understanding of the role played by nNOS in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pit Shan Chong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Chi Him Poon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Man Lung Fung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Li Guan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Harry W M Steinbusch
- Department of Neuroscience and European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ying-Shing Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Wei Ling Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Lee Wei Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Giatti S, Diviccaro S, Panzica G, Melcangi RC. Post-finasteride syndrome and post-SSRI sexual dysfunction: two sides of the same coin? Endocrine 2018; 61:180-193. [PMID: 29675596 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-018-1593-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction is a clinical condition due to different causes including the iatrogenic origin. For instance, it is well known that sexual dysfunction may occur in patients treated with antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). A similar side effect has been also reported during treatment with finasteride, an inhibitor of the enzyme 5alpha-reductase, for androgenetic alopecia. Interestingly, sexual dysfunction persists in both cases after drug discontinuation. These conditions have been named post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) and post-finasteride syndrome (PFS). In particular, feeling of a lack of connection between the brain and penis, loss of libido and sex drive, difficulty in achieving an erection and genital paresthesia have been reported by patients of both conditions. It is interesting to note that the incidence of these diseases is probably so far underestimated and their etiopathogenesis is not sufficiently explored. To this aim, the present review will report the state of art of these two different pathologies and discuss, on the basis of the role exerted by three different neuromodulators such as dopamine, serotonin and neuroactive steroids, whether the persistent sexual dysfunction observed could be determined by common mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Giatti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Diviccaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Panzica
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze "Rita Levi Montalcini", Università degli studi di Torino, Neuroscience Institute Cavallieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy
| | - Roberto Cosimo Melcangi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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10
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Marraudino M, Martini M, Trova S, Farinetti A, Ponti G, Gotti S, Panzica G. Kisspeptin system in ovariectomized mice: Estradiol and progesterone regulation. Brain Res 2018; 1688:8-14. [PMID: 29555237 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The kisspeptin system is clustered in two main groups of cell bodies (the periventricular region, RP3V and the arcuate nucleus, ARC) that send fibers mainly to the GnRH neurons and in a few other locations, including the paraventricular nucleus, PVN. In physiological conditions, gonadal hormones modulate the kisspeptin system with expression changes according to different phases of the estrous cycle: the highest being in estrus phase in RP3V and PVN (positive feedback), and in ARC during the diestrus phase (negative feedback). In this work we wanted to study these hormonal fluctuations during the estrous cycle, investigating the role played by progesterone (P) or estradiol (E2), alone or together, on the kisspeptin system. Gonadectomized CD1 female mice were treated with P, E2 or both (E2 + P), following a timing of administration that emulates the different phases of estrous cycle, for two cycles of 4 days. As expected, the two cell groups were differentially affected by E2; the RP3V group was positively influenced by E2 (alone or with the P), whereas in the ARC the administration of E2 did not affect the system. However P (alone) induced a rise in the kisspeptin immunoreactivity. All the treatments significantly affected the kisspeptin innervation of the PVN, with regional differences, suggesting that these fibers arrive from both RP3V and ARC nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Marraudino
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Via Cherasco 15, Torino, Italy.
| | - Mariangela Martini
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, United States
| | - Sara Trova
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy
| | - Alice Farinetti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Via Cherasco 15, Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanna Ponti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Largo Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Stefano Gotti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Via Cherasco 15, Torino, Italy
| | - GianCarlo Panzica
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Torino, Via Cherasco 15, Torino, Italy
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11
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Chachlaki K, Malone SA, Qualls-Creekmore E, Hrabovszky E, Münzberg H, Giacobini P, Ango F, Prevot V. Phenotyping of nNOS neurons in the postnatal and adult female mouse hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:3177-3189. [PMID: 28577305 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neurons expressing nitric oxide (NO) synthase (nNOS) and thus capable of synthesizing NO play major roles in many aspects of brain function. While the heterogeneity of nNOS-expressing neurons has been studied in various brain regions, their phenotype in the hypothalamus remains largely unknown. Here we examined the distribution of cells expressing nNOS in the postnatal and adult female mouse hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry. In both adults and neonates, nNOS was largely restricted to regions of the hypothalamus involved in the control of bodily functions, such as energy balance and reproduction. Labeled cells were found in the paraventricular, ventromedial, and dorsomedial nuclei as well as in the lateral area of the hypothalamus. Intriguingly, nNOS was seen only after the second week of life in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH). The most dense and heavily labeled population of cells was found in the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OV) and the median preoptic nucleus (MEPO), where most of the somata of the neuroendocrine neurons releasing GnRH and controlling reproduction are located. A great proportion of nNOS-immunoreactive neurons in the OV/MEPO and ARH were seen to express estrogen receptor (ER) α. Notably, almost all ERα-immunoreactive cells of the OV/MEPO also expressed nNOS. Moreover, the use of EYFPVglut2 , EYFPVgat , and GFPGad67 transgenic mouse lines revealed that, like GnRH neurons, most hypothalamic nNOS neurons have a glutamatergic phenotype, except for nNOS neurons of the ARH, which are GABAergic. Altogether, these observations are consistent with the proposed role of nNOS neurons in physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Chachlaki
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Samuel A Malone
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Emily Qualls-Creekmore
- Departments of Central Leptin Signaling, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Erik Hrabovszky
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Laboratory of Endocrine Neurobiology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Heike Münzberg
- Departments of Central Leptin Signaling, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Fabrice Ango
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development of GABAergic circuit, IGF, U1191, Montpellier, France.,University of Montpellier, CNRS UMR5203, Montpellier, France
| | - Vincent Prevot
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
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12
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Ponti G, Rodriguez-Gomez A, Farinetti A, Marraudino M, Filice F, Foglio B, Sciacca G, Panzica GC, Gotti S. Early postnatal genistein administration permanently affects nitrergic and vasopressinergic systems in a sex-specific way. Neuroscience 2017; 346:203-215. [PMID: 28131623 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Genistein (GEN) is a natural xenoestrogen (isoflavonoid) that may interfere with the development of estrogen-sensitive neural circuits. Due to the large and increasing use of soy-based formulas for babies (characterized by a high content of GEN), there are some concerns that this could result in an impairment of some estrogen-sensitive neural circuits and behaviors. In a previous study, we demonstrated that its oral administration to female mice during late pregnancy and early lactation induced a significant decrease of nitric oxide synthase-positive cells in the amygdala of their male offspring. In the present study, we have used a different experimental protocol mimicking, in mice, the direct precocious exposure to GEN. Mice pups of both sexes were fed either with oil, estradiol or GEN from birth to postnatal day 8. Nitric oxide synthase and vasopressin neural systems were analyzed in adult mice. Interestingly, we observed that GEN effect was time specific (when compared to our previous study), sex specific, and not always comparable to the effects of estradiol. This last observation suggests that GEN may act through different intracellular pathways. Present results indicate that the effect of natural xenoestrogens on the development of the brain may be highly variable: a plethora of neuronal circuits may be affected depending on sex, time of exposure, intracellular pathway involved, and target cells. This raises concern on the possible long-term effects of the use of soy-based formulas for babies, which may be currently underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Ponti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy.
| | - A Rodriguez-Gomez
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - A Farinetti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - M Marraudino
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - F Filice
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - B Foglio
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - G Sciacca
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - G C Panzica
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - S Gotti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Regione Gonzole, 10 - 10043 Orbassano (TO), Torino, Italy; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neuroscience, Via Cherasco 15, 10126-University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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13
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Del Bianco-Borges B, Franci C. Estrogen-dependent post-translational change in the nitric oxide system may mediate the leptin action on LH and prolactin secretion. Brain Res 2015; 1604:62-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 01/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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14
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The densities of calbindin and parvalbumin, but not calretinin neurons, are sexually dimorphic in the amygdala of the guinea pig. Brain Res 2015; 1604:84-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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15
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Borgquist A, Meza C, Wagner EJ. Role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the estrogenic attenuation of cannabinoid-induced changes in energy homeostasis. J Neurophysiol 2014; 113:904-14. [PMID: 25392169 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00615.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since estradiol attenuates cannabinoid-induced increases in energy intake, energy expenditure, and transmission at proopiomelanocortin (POMC) synapses in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC), we tested the hypothesis that neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) plays an integral role. To this end, whole animal experiments were carried out in gonadectomized female guinea pigs. Estradiol benzoate (EB; 10 μg sc) decreased incremental food intake as well as O2 consumption, CO2 production, and metabolic heat production as early as 2 h postadministration. This was associated with increased phosphorylation of nNOS (pnNOS), as evidenced by an elevated ratio of pnNOS to nNOS in the ARC. Administration of the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 (3 μg icv) into the third ventricle evoked hyperphagia as early as 1 h postadministration, which was blocked by EB and restored by the nonselective NOS inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 100 μg icv) when the latter was combined with the steroid. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings showed that 17β-estradiol (E2; 100 nM) rapidly diminished cannabinoid-induced decreases in miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency, which was mimicked by pretreatment with the NOS substrate L-arginine (30 μM) and abrogated by L-NAME (300 μM). Furthermore, E2 antagonized endocannabinoid-mediated depolarization-induced suppression of excitation, which was nullified by the nNOS-selective inhibitor N5-[imino(propylamino)methyl]-L-ornithine hydrochloride (10 μM). These effects occurred in a sizable number of identified POMC neurons. Taken together, the estradiol-induced decrease in energy intake is mediated by a decrease in cannabinoid sensitivity within the ARC feeding circuitry through the activation of nNOS. These findings provide compelling evidence for the need to develop rational, gender-specific therapies to help treat metabolic disorders such as cachexia and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Borgquist
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Cecilia Meza
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Edward J Wagner
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
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16
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Martini M, Pinto AX, Valverde O. Estrous cycle and sex affect cocaine-induced behavioural changes in CD1 mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:2647-59. [PMID: 24452696 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3433-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Several findings on sex differences in cocaine response suggest a role for hormonal milieu in modulating the subjective effects of cocaine. Nitric oxide (NO) has been involved in the neurochemical, hormonal, and behavioral changes related to stress and anxiety. Within the brain, the anteroventral subdivision of the medial amygdala (MeAV) is an important area involved in processing emotional responses such as anxiety and a high density of NO-producing neurons is observed in this area. OBJECTIVES In this study, we hypothesize the possibility of sex/hormonal differences in response to cocaine and that these differences may reflect a change in the MeAV nitrergic system. We have examined cocaine's acute effects on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (nadph-d) expression, as well as its effect on motor activity and anxiety in male and estrus and diestrus females. RESULTS Our results show that acute cocaine administration produces an increase in both anxiety behaviors and nadph-d expression in the MeAV. Male and diestrus female mice were more susceptible to these effects of cocaine than estrus female mice in which no differences were detected. In addition, we examined individual differences in male and female mice responding to intravenous cocaine reinforcement in a self-administration paradigm. Female mice acquired cocaine self-administration at a faster rate than males and showed a higher motivation to self-administer cocaine under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest a complex interaction between hormonal milieu and the behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Martini
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC), Department of Health and Experimental Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park C/Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
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17
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Grassi D, Lagunas N, Amorin M, Pinos H, Panzica G, Garcia-Segura L, Collado P. Estrogenic regulation of NADPH-diaphorase in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei under acute osmotic stress. Neuroscience 2013; 248:127-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Grassi D, Lagunas N, Amorim M, Pinos H, Panzica G, Garcia-Segura LM, Collado P. Role of oestrogen receptors on the modulation of NADPH-diaphorase-positive cell number in supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of ovariectomised female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2013; 25:244-50. [PMID: 22967140 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02387.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Modulation of the nitric oxide producing system (demonstrated via the NADPH-diaphorase histochemical reaction) by oestradiol has been established in several structures of the rat brain. The present study aimed to explore the possible regulation of NADPH-diaphorase activity by oestradiol in neurones of the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei and the role of oestrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) in this regulation. Adult ovariectomised rats were divided into six groups and injected either with vehicle or a single dose of oestradiol, a selective ERα agonist-PPT [4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl)trisphenol], a selective ERβ agonist-DPN [2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile], a selective ERα antagonist-MPP [1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methyl-5-[4-(2-piperidinylethoxy)phenol]-1H-pyrazole dihydrochloride] or a selective ERβ antagonist-PHTPP (4-[2-phenyl-5,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl]phenol). The number of NADPH-diaphorase positive elements in the SON and the PVN was modulated by both ERs but, depending on the nucleus, ERα and ERβ ligands induced different effects. These results suggest that the regulation of nitrergic system by ERs may play a role in the control of oestrogen-dependent physiological mechanisms regulated by the SON and the PVN.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Grassi
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain.
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19
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Wong PG, Armstrong DWJ, Tse MY, Brander EPA, Pang SC. Sex-specific differences in natriuretic peptide and nitric oxide synthase expression in ANP gene-disrupted mice. Mol Cell Biochem 2012. [PMID: 23180242 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-012-1511-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Sex-specific differences in hormone-mediated gene regulation may influence susceptibility to cardiac hypertrophy, a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Under hormonal influence, natriuretic peptide (NP) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) systems modulate cardio-protective gene programs through common downstream production of cyclic guanosine 3'-5' monophosphate (cGMP). Ablation of either system can adversely affect cardiac adaptation to stresses and insults. This study elucidates sex-specific differences in cardiac NP and NOS system gene expression and assesses the impact of the estrous cycle on these systems using the atrial natriuretic peptide gene-disrupted (ANP(-/-)) mouse model. Left ventricular expression of the NP and NOS systems was analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 13- to 16-week-old male, proestrous and estrous female ANP(+/+) and ANP(-/-) mice. Left ventricular and plasma cGMP levels were measured to assess the convergent downstream effects of the NP and NOS systems. Regardless of genotype, males had higher expression of the NP system while females had higher expression of the NOS system. In females, transition from proestrus to estrus lowered NOS system expression in ANP(+/+) mice while the opposite was observed in ANP(-/-) mice. No significant changes in left ventricular cGMP levels across gender and genotype were observed. Significantly lower plasma cGMP levels were observed in ANP(-/-) mice compared to ANP(+/+) mice. Regardless of genotype, sex-specific differences in cardiac NP and NOS system expression exist, each sex enlisting a predominant system to conserve downstream cGMP. Estrous cycle-mediated alterations in NOS system expression suggests additional hormone-mediated gene regulation in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip G Wong
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Room 850, Botterell Hall, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
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20
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Estrous behavior in dairy cows: identification of underlying mechanisms and gene functions. Animal 2012; 4:446-53. [PMID: 22443949 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731109991169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Selection in dairy cattle for a higher milk yield has coincided with declined fertility. One of the factors is reduced expression of estrous behavior. Changes in systems that regulate the estrous behavior could be manifested by altered gene expression. This literature review describes the current knowledge on mechanisms and genes involved in the regulation of estrous behavior. The endocrinological regulation of the estrous cycle in dairy cows is well described. Estradiol (E2) is assumed to be the key regulator that synchronizes endocrine and behavioral events. Other pivotal hormones are, for example, progesterone, gonadotropin releasing hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Interactions between the latter and E2 may play a role in the unfavorable effects of milk yield-related metabolic stress on fertility in high milk-producing dairy cows. However, a clear understanding of how endocrine mechanisms are tied to estrous behavior in cows is only starting to emerge. Recent studies on gene expression and signaling pathways in rodents and other animals contribute to our understanding of genes and mechanisms involved in estrous behavior. Studies in rodents, for example, show that estrogen-induced gene expression in specific brain areas such as the hypothalamus play an important role. Through these estrogen-induced gene expressions, E2 alters the functioning of neuronal networks that underlie estrous behavior, by affecting dendritic connections between cells, receptor populations and neurotransmitter releases. To improve the understanding of complex biological networks, like estrus regulation, and to deal with the increasing amount of genomic information that becomes available, mathematical models can be helpful. Systems biology combines physiological and genomic data with mathematical modeling. Possible applications of systems biology approaches in the field of female fertility and estrous behavior are discussed.
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21
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Lekontseva O, Jiang Y, Schleppe C, Davidge ST. Altered neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the aging vascular system: implications for estrogens therapy. Endocrinology 2012; 153:3940-8. [PMID: 22700772 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1071] [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] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian dysfunction at any age is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in women; however, therapeutic effects of exogenous estrogens are age dependent. Estradiol (E2) activates neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in vascular cells. Because nNOS is prone to uncoupling under unfavorable biochemical conditions (as seen in aging), E2 stimulation of nNOS may lack vascular benefits in aging. Small mesenteric arteries were isolated from female Sprague Dawley rats, 3 or 12 months old, who were ovariectomized (Ovx) and treated with placebo or E2 for 4 wk. Vascular relaxation to exogenous E2 (0.001-100 μmol/liter) ± selective nNOS inhibitor (N-propyl-l-arginine, 2 μmol/liter) or pan-NOS inhibitor [Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), 100 μmol/liter] was examined on wire myograph. NOS expression was measured by Western blotting in thoracic aortas, in which superoxide generation was detected as dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence. E2 relaxations were impaired in Ovx conditions. E2 treatment (4 wk) normalized vascular function in young rats only. Both l-N-propyl-l-arginine and l-NAME blunted E2 relaxation in young controls, but only l-NAME did so in aging controls. NOS inhibition had no effect on acute E2 relaxation in Ovx rats, regardless of age or treatment. nNOS expression was similar in all animal groups. However, nNOS inhibition increased DHE fluorescence in young controls, whereas it reduced it in aging or Ovx animals. In E2-treated animals of either age, superoxide production was NOS independent. In conclusion, nNOS contributed to vascular relaxation in young, but not aging rats, where its enzymatic function shifted toward superoxide production. Thus, nNOS dysfunction may explain a mechanism of impaired E2 signaling in aging conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Lekontseva
- Department of Physiology, Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2S2, Canada
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Kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling in mouse NO-synthesizing neurons participates in the hypothalamic control of ovulation. J Neurosci 2012; 32:932-45. [PMID: 22262891 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4765-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is controlled in the brain by a neural network that drives the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Various permissive homeostatic signals must be integrated to achieve ovulation in mammals. However, the neural events controlling the timely activation of GnRH neurons are not completely understood. Here we show that kisspeptin, a potent activator of GnRH neuronal activity, directly communicates with neurons that synthesize the gaseous transmitter nitric oxide (NO) in the preoptic region to coordinate the progression of the ovarian cycle. Using a transgenic Gpr54-null IRES-LacZ knock-in mouse model, we demonstrate that neurons containing neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), which are morphologically associated with kisspeptin fibers, express the kisspeptin receptor GPR54 in the preoptic region, but not in the tuberal region of the hypothalamus. The activation of kisspeptin signaling in preoptic neurons promotes the activation of nNOS through its phosphorylation on serine 1412 via the AKT pathway and mimics the positive feedback effects of estrogens. Finally, we show that while NO release restrains the reproductive axis at stages of the ovarian cycle during which estrogens exert their inhibitory feedback, it is required for the kisspeptin-dependent preovulatory activation of GnRH neurons. Thus, interactions between kisspeptin and nNOS neurons may play a central role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in vivo.
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Synergic effects of estradiol and progesterone on regulation of the hypothalamic neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in ovariectomized mice. Brain Res 2011; 1404:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2011] [Revised: 06/03/2011] [Accepted: 06/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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24
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Martini M, Sica M, Gotti S, Eva C, Panzica GC. Effects of estrous cycle and sex on the expression of neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor in discrete hypothalamic and limbic nuclei of transgenic mice. Peptides 2011; 32:1330-4. [PMID: 21514339 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2011] [Revised: 04/03/2011] [Accepted: 04/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
In the present study we used a transgenic mouse model, carrying the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y1 receptor gene promoter linked to the LacZ reporter gene (Y1R/LacZ mice) to test the hypothesis of its up-regulation by gonadal hormones. Y1 receptor gene expression was detected by means of histochemical procedures and quantitative image analysis in the paraventricular nucleus, arcuate nucleus, medial preoptic nucleus, ventromedial nucleus and bed nucleus of stria terminalis of two-month-old female mice at different stages of estrous cycle. Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that Y1R/LacZ transgene expression was higher in the paraventricular, arcuate, and ventromedial nuclei of proestrus mice as compared to mice in the other stages of the estrous cycle. In addition, we performed a comparison with a group of sexually active males. In this comparison a significant difference (less in males) was observed between males and proestrus females in the same nuclei. In conclusion, these data indicate that fluctuations in circulating levels of gonadal hormones, depending by estrous cycle, are paralleled by changes in the expression of NPY Y1 receptor in the hypothalamic nuclei involved in the control of both energy balance and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Martini
- University of Torino, Dept of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine, Neuroscience Institute of Torino, Italy
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25
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Abstract
The rupture of cerebral aneurysm (CA) and subsequent subarachnoid hemorrhage can cause fatal results. Recent experimental findings have suggested that the mechanism of CA formation is based on chronic inflammation in arterial walls by hemodynamic force. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protects arterial walls from vascular inflammation by relieving hemodynamic force through nitric oxide (NO) production. Thus, the expression and protective role of eNOS in CA formation have been investigated in this study. In this study, experimental induced rodent CA models by carotid ligation and systemic hypertension were used. The expression of eNOS was examined in rat CA models and revealed that it was decreased at the site of CA formation. Next, CA was induced in eNOS(-/-) mice to clarify the role of eNOS in CA formation. In eNOS(-/-) mice, the incidence of CA formation was similar to that found in wild-type mice. In CA walls of eNOS(-/-) mice, the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) was upregulated compared with that in wild-type mice, suggesting the compensatory effect of nNOS. Hence, eNOS(-/-) nNOS(-/-) mice were generated, underwent CA induction and confirmed that eNOS(-/-) nNOS(-/-) mice exhibited an increased incidence of CA formation accompanied by accelerated macrophage infiltration. These results suggested that the deficiency of eNOS could be compensated by nNOS upregulation in cerebral arteries and that the eNOS and nNOS complementarily had the protective role in CA formation. The results of this study will provide us with new insight about the mechanisms of CA formation and the functional redundancy between eNOS and nNOS in cerebral arteries.
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26
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Panzica GC, Bo E, Martini MA, Miceli D, Mura E, Viglietti-Panzica C, Gotti S. Neuropeptides and enzymes are targets for the action of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the vertebrate brain. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2011; 14:449-72. [PMID: 21790321 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2011.578562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) are molecules that interfere with endocrine signaling pathways and produce adverse consequences on animal and human physiology, such as infertility or behavioral alterations. Some EDC act through binding to androgen or/and estrogen receptors primarily operating through a genomic mechanism regulating gene expression. This mechanism of action may induce profound developmental adverse effects, and the major targets of the EDC action are the gene products, i.e., mRNAs inducing the synthesis of various peptidic molecules, which include neuropeptides and enzymes related to neurotransmitters syntheses. Available immunohistochemical data on some of the systems that are affected by EDC in lower and higher vertebrates are detailed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- G C Panzica
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Forensic Medicine, Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
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27
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Bellefontaine N, Hanchate NK, Parkash J, Campagne C, de Seranno S, Clasadonte J, d'Anglemont de Tassigny X, Prevot V. Nitric oxide as key mediator of neuron-to-neuron and endothelia-to-glia communication involved in the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. Neuroendocrinology 2011; 93:74-89. [PMID: 21335953 DOI: 10.1159/000324147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2010] [Accepted: 01/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a peculiar chemical transmitter that freely diffuses through aqueous and lipid environments and plays a role in major aspects of brain function. Within the hypothalamus, NO exerts critical effects upon the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) network to maintain fertility. Here, we review recent evidence that NO regulates major aspects of the GnRH neuron physiology. Far more active than once thought, NO powerfully controls GnRH neuronal activity, GnRH release and structural plasticity at the neurohemal junction. In the preoptic region, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity is tightly regulated by estrogens and is found to be maximal at the proestrus stage. Natural fluctuations of estrogens control both the differential coupling of this Ca²+-activated enzyme to glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor channels and phosphorylation-mediated nNOS activation. Furthermore, NO endogenously produced by neurons expressing nNOS acutely and directly suppresses spontaneous firing in GnRH neurons, which suggests that neuronal NO may serve as a synchronizing switch within the preoptic region. At the median eminence, NO is spontaneously released from an endothelial source and follows a pulsatile and cyclic pattern of secretion. Importantly, GnRH release appears to be causally related to endothelial NO release. NO is also highly involved in mediating the dialogue set in motion between vascular endothelial cells and tanycytes that control the direct access of GnRH neurons to the pituitary portal blood during the estrous cycle. Altogether, these data raise the intriguing possibility that the neuroendocrine brain uses NO to coordinate both GnRH neuronal activity and GnRH release at key stages of reproductive physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Bellefontaine
- Inserm, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Development and Plasticity of the Postnatal Brain, U837, Lille, France
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28
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Martini M, Miceli D, Gotti S, Viglietti-Panzica C, Fissore E, Palanza P, Panzica G. Effects of perinatal administration of Bisphenol A on the neuronal nitric oxide synthase expressing system in the hypothalamus and limbic system of CD1 mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2010; 22:1004-12. [PMID: 20561153 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.02043.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known plastic-derived pollutant that can bind to oestrogen receptors and is considered an endocrine-disrupting chemical. Its impact on different behaviours in rodents has been largely investigated, however, only a few data are available on its effects upon neural circuits. In the present study, we investigated the long-term effects of early exposure of mice of both sexes to BPA on the nitrinergic system, one of the neural systems involved in the control of sexual behaviour and under the control of gonadal hormones. Mice of both sexes were exposed for eight prenatal and eight postnatal days to BPA that was administered to the mothers. The maternally-exposed mice were sacrificed at the age of 2 months and their brains were sectioned and immunohistochemically treated for the detection of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Significant effects of BPA exposure were detected for the number of immunoreactive cells in the medial preoptic nucleus and in the ventromedial subdivision of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, in a sex-oriented and dose-dependent way. These results indicate that BPA has a powerful effect on specific portions of the nNOS-immunoreactive system belonging to the accessory olfactory system that are particularly important for the control of sexual behaviour. In addition, they confirm that perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, in particular to BPA, may have a high impact on the organisation of specific neural pathways that can later affect complex behaviours and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Martini
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine, Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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29
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Bonthuis P, Cox K, Searcy B, Kumar P, Tobet S, Rissman E. Of mice and rats: key species variations in the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2010; 31:341-58. [PMID: 20457175 PMCID: PMC2910167 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Revised: 05/04/2010] [Accepted: 05/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Mice and rats are important mammalian models in biomedical research. In contrast to other biomedical fields, work on sexual differentiation of brain and behavior has traditionally utilized comparative animal models. As mice are gaining in popularity, it is essential to acknowledge the differences between these two rodents. Here we review neural and behavioral sexual dimorphisms in rats and mice, which highlight species differences and experimental gaps in the literature, that are needed for direct species comparisons. Moving forward, investigators must answer fundamental questions about their chosen organism, and attend to both species and strain differences as they select the optimal animal models for their research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- P.J. Bonthuis
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - K.H. Cox
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - B.T. Searcy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - P. Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - S. Tobet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - E.F. Rissman
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
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30
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Parkash J, d'Anglemont de Tassigny X, Bellefontaine N, Campagne C, Mazure D, Buée-Scherrer V, Prevot V. Phosphorylation of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor-associated neuronal nitric oxide synthase depends on estrogens and modulates hypothalamic nitric oxide production during the ovarian cycle. Endocrinology 2010; 151:2723-35. [PMID: 20371700 PMCID: PMC3112171 DOI: 10.1210/en.2010-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Within the preoptic region, nitric oxide (NO) production varies during the ovarian cycle and has the ability to impact hypothalamic reproductive function. One mechanism for the regulation of NO release mediated by estrogens during the estrous cycle includes physical association of the calcium-activated neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) enzyme with the glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels via the postsynaptic density 95 scaffolding protein. Here we demonstrate that endogenous variations in estrogens levels during the estrous cycle also coincide with corresponding changes in the state of nNOS Ser1412 phosphorylation, the level of association of this isoform with the NMDA receptor/postsynaptic density 95 complex at the plasma membrane, and the activity of NO synthase (NOS). Neuronal NOS Ser1412 phosphorylation is maximal on the afternoon of proestrus when both the levels of estrogens and the physical association of nNOS with NMDA receptors are highest. Estradiol mimicked these effects in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. In addition, the catalytic activity of NOS in membrane protein extracts from the preoptic region, i.e. independent of any functional protein-protein interactions or cell-cell signaling, was significantly increased in estradiol-treated OVX rats compared with OVX rats. Finally, lambda phosphatase-mediated nNOS dephosphorylation dramatically impaired NOS activity in preoptic region protein extracts, thus demonstrating the important role of phosphorylation in the regulation of NO production in the preoptic region. Taken together, these results yield new insights into the regulation of neuron-derived NO production by gonadal steroids within the preoptic region and raise the possibility that changes in nNOS phosphorylation during fluctuating physiological conditions may be involved in the hypothalamic control of key neuroendocrine functions, such as reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Parkash
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité, Bâtiment Biserte, Place de Verdun, 59045 Lille cedex, France
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31
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Role of nitric oxide in pheromone-mediated intraspecific communication in mice. Physiol Behav 2009; 98:608-13. [PMID: 19799918 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Revised: 09/14/2009] [Accepted: 09/18/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide is known to take part in the control of sexual and agonistic behaviours. This is usually attributed to its role in neural transmission in the hypothalamus and other structures of the limbic system. However, socio-sexual behaviours in rodents are mainly directed by chemical signals detected by the vomeronasal system, and nitric oxide is abundant in key structures along the vomeronasal pathway. Thus, here we check whether pharmacological treatments interfering with nitrergic transmission could affect socio-sexual behaviour by impairing the processing of chemical signals. Treatment with an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis (Nomega-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, L-NAME, 100mg/kg) blocks the innate preference displayed by female mice for sexual pheromones contained in male-soiled bedding, with a lower dose of the drug (50mg/kg) having no effect. Animals treated with the high dose of L-NAME show no reduction of olfactory discrimination of male urine in a habituation-dishabituation test, thus suggesting that the effect of the drug on the preference for male pheromones is not due to an inability to detect male urine. Alternatively, it may result from an alteration in processing the reinforcing value of pheromones as sexual signals. These results add a new piece of evidence to our understanding of the neurochemistry of intraspecific chemical communication in rodents, and suggest that the role of nitric oxide in socio-sexual behaviours should be re-evaluated taking into account the involvement of this neuromodulator in the processing of chemical signals.
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