title: Are POMC neurons targets for sex steroids in the arcuate nucleus of the rat?
abstract: Testosterone alters the expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA in the neurons of the arcuate nucleus. While observations suggest that both estrogen and androgen receptors (AR) can mediate this action, only a negligible number of POMC neurons has previously been shown to contain estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha. To determine whether the putative action of testosterone is mediated via ER-beta or AR we double immuno- labeled hypothalamic sections from colchicine-pretreated male rats. Only few cells were immunostained for ER-beta and they were never found to co-localize POMC. In spite of the overlap in the anatomical distribution, only 3% of POMC cells appeared to contain AR. These results suggest that sex steroids have an indirect effect on most POMC neurons.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Endocrinology, Reproduction and Metabolism, Vrije Universiteit University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fodor
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Delemarre-van de Waal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D003078:Colchicine; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D003078:Colchicine