title: Estrogen-induced efflux of endogenous catecholamines from the hypothalamus in vitro.
abstract: Short-term organ cultures of the intact hypothalamus were used to study the effects of various estrogenic compounds on catecholamine release. Estradiol-17 beta (0.1--20 microM) produced a concentration-dependent efflux of norepinephrine and dopamine while its biologically inactive enantiomer, estradiol-17 alpha, was ineffective at concentrations up to 20 microM. Diethylstilbestrol, a potent non-steroidal estrogen, was as effective as estradiol-17 beta in inducing catecholamine efflux. In contrast, weakly or non-estrogenic steroids such as estrone, estriol, and corticosterone were without effect. The time course of the estrogen-induced efflux of hypothalamic catecholamines was similar to that previously reported for the estrogen-induced accumulation of hypothalamic cAMP, providing further evidence for the involvement of catecholamines in this effect. Theses results suggest that estrogen may facilitate the release of catecholamines within the hypothalamus.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D004967:Estrogens; D004958:Estradiol; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine