Aging, estradiol and time of day differentially affect serotonin transporter binding in the central nervous system of female rats.
Estrogen-related changes in serotonergic neuronal transmission, including changes in the number of serotonin transporter (SERT) binding sites, have been cited as a possible cause for changes in mood, memory and sleep that occur during the menopausal transition. However, both aging and estradiol regulate SERT binding sites in the brain. The goal of this experiment was to determine how aging and estrogen interact to regulate SERT levels in the forebrain of young and reproductively senescent female Sprague-Dawley rats using [3H]paroxetine. The density of specific [3H]paroxetine binding in various brain regions was compared in young (2-4 months) and reproductively senescent (10-12 months) female rats at three times of day. In most brain regions examined, estrogen and aging independently increased the number of [3H]paroxetine binding sites. The only region that displayed a reduction in [3H]paroxetine binding with age was the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Time of day influenced [3H]paroxetine binding in the SCN and the paraventricular thalamus (PVT), two regions known to be involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms. Aging and/or estrogen also altered the pattern of binding in these regions. Thus, based on the results of this study, we conclude that aging and estrogen both act to regulate SERT binding sites in the forebrain of female rats, and that this regulation is region specific.
Krajnak
Kristine
K
Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. mqk1@cdc.gov
Rosewell
Katherine L
KL
Duncan
Marilyn J
MJ
Wise
Phyllis M
PM
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004958:Estradiol; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017374:Paroxetine; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C493232:Slc6a4 protein, rat