title: Estradiol--induced redistribution of glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity in the rat brain.
abstract: The immunohistochemical distribution of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of glial filaments, was studied on coronal sections of the globus pallidus, the area CA4 of the hippocampus and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, 3 estrogen-sensitive areas of the rat brain. The number and the surface density of the GFAP-immunoreactive cells were evaluated in 6 adult ovariectomized rats injected with a single dose (20 mg/kg) of estradiol valerate (OVX + E2 rats) and in 6 ovariectomized littermates injected with vehicle (OVX rats). Two days after the injection, a similar distribution of the GFAP was observed in the arcuate nucleus of OVX + E2 rats when compared to OVX rats, whereas a significantly (P less than 0.001) increased surface density of GFAP immunoreactive material was observed in the globus pallidus and hippocampus of estradiol-treated rats. Since the number of GFAP-positive cells was unchanged by the estradiol injection, the enhanced surface density of GFAP immunoreactive material in the hippocampus and globus pallidus suggest a possible influence of estradiol on GFAP-immunoreactive glial processes.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004958:Estradiol