title: Effects of estrogen on neuronal growth and differentiation.
abstract: Previous work from our laboratory has shown that in cultures of hypothalamic neurons obtained from male fetuses at embryonic day 16 the axogenic response to estradiol (E2) is contingent upon culture with medium conditioned by astroglia from a target region for hypothalamic axons. E2 also induced increased levels of TrkB that were necessary for the axonal growth to occur. This convergence between estrogenic and neurotrophic signals prompted investigation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Analysis of the temporal course of MAPK activation showed increased levels of phosphorylated ERK up to 60 min after E2 exposure, with a maximal response at 5-15 min. UO126 (specific inhibitor of MEK 1/2) blocked E2 induced axonal elongation and ERK phosphorylation, confirming the involvement of ERK in the neuritogenic effect of E2. The membrane impermeable construct E2-BSA proved as effective as free E2 to induce axon elongation, suggesting that E2 exerted its effect through a membrane-associated receptor. This possibility received additional support from experiments showing that E2-BSA also increased ERK phosphorylation with the same time course than E2. These results indicate that ERK signaling is necessary for E2 to induce axon growth and this activation is mediated by a membrane bound estrogen receptor.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Casilla de Correo 389, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina. hfcarrer@immf.uncor.edu
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Carrer
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cambiasso
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gorosito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D004958:Estradiol; D020813:Receptor, trkB