Expression and estrogen regulation of progesterone receptor mRNA in neurons of the mediobasal hypothalamus: an in situ hybridization study.
Diverse effects of steroid hormones on different tissues result from the tissue-specific regulation of target gene expression by steroid hormone receptors. These receptors belong to a family of transacting factors that regulate transcriptional activation of target genes by binding to DNA recognition sequences located in the 5'-flanking region of the target gene. In the brain, receptors for the gonadal steroid hormones estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) are present in discrete neuronal populations. These steroid hormone receptor-containing neurons mediate the effects of the gonadal steroids on a number of neural processes, including reproductive behavior. Using in situ hybridization we have found progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA-containing neurons present in specific hypothalamic nuclei and in the amygdala. E regulates PR mRNA levels in specific neuronal cell groups which express both ER and PR (in basomedial hypothalamus), but not in others (medial amygdala). The E-induced increase in P-responsive neurons in ventromedial hypothalamus can account for the permissive influence of E on P-facilitated reproductive behavior. This is the first demonstration that synthesis of a transcription factor (PR) can be related to a mammalian behavior.
Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021.
G J
GJ
Romano
A
A
Krust
D W
DW
Pfaff
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology
D004967:Estrogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol