Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase activity in the paraventricular nucleus of the rat hypothalamus is modulated by estradiol.
Based on previous studies demonstrating that reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase (ND) activity is modulated by estradiol and the discovery of a new subtype of estrogen receptor highly expressed in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), a possible estrogen influence on this activity was investigated in the neuronal populations (magno- and parvicellular) of this nucleus. Cryostat sections were cut and processed for the histochemical detection of the ND activity. Following ovariectomy (14 days), numerical data displayed a slight decrease in the number of ND-neurons, especially in the posterior magnocellular and the medial parvicellular subdivisions, which was reversed after daily treatment with estradiol benzoate. Administration of estradiol benzoate to male rats (14 days) induced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the number of ND-neurons, mainly at the level of the posterior magnocellular subdivision. These data indicate that paraventricular ND-neurons are influenced by estradiol.
Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Campus Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain. fsh@gugu.usal.es
F
F
Sánchez
M E
ME
Martinez
M
M
Rubio
J
J
Carretero
M N
MN
Moreno
R
R
Vázquez
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000201:enzymology*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors
C074283:estradiol 3-benzoate; D004958:Estradiol; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase