Effect of sex steroids on GABA receptors in the rat hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland.
Our data indicate that sex steroids modify the number of GABA receptors, as detected by a [3H]muscimol binding assay, in the tuberoinfundibular GABAergic system. GABA binding was affected by chronic hormonal treatments in different ways depending on the sex of the rats and the steroids administered. Estradiol increased GABA binding in ovariectomized female rats while testosterone decreased the number of GABA binding sites in gonadectomized male rats. These results suggest a sex difference in the regulation of hypothalamic GABA receptors.
Lasaga
M
M
Centro de Investigaciones en Reproducción, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Duvilanski
B H
BH
Seilicovich
A
A
Afione
S
S
Debeljuk
L
L
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009118:Muscimol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D009118:Muscimol