[Effects of long-term replacement therapy of compound nylestriol tablet or low-dose 17 beta-estradiol on the expression of nerve growth factor in OVX rat hippocampal formation].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of long-term estrogen deficiency and replacement therapy of compound nylestriol tablet or low-dose 17 beta-estradiol on the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in rat hippocampal formation.


METHODS
Fifty 7 month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control, sham operated (SHAM), ovariectomized (OVX), OVX plus 17 beta-estradiol (OVX/ERT), and OVX plus compound nylestriol tablet (OVX/NL) groups. Immunohistochemistry of NGF was used to quantitatively determine the levels of expression of NGF using cell counting and imaging system in ovariectomized rat hippocampal formation.


RESULTS
The number and optical density of NGF-positive neurons of all hippocampal subregions and dentate gyrus in OVX rats were obviously lower than those of the normal control, SHAM, OVX/NL, and OVX/ERT rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term estrogen deficiency can lead to a decrease of NGF expression in hippocampal formation, while the replacement of low-dose 17 beta-estradiol or compound nylestriol tablet can equally preserve the expression of NGF to a normal level, showing a neurotrophic effect of estrogen.
Jiang
Bo
B
Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. Jiangbao2002@yahoo.com.cn
Liao
Er-yuan
EY
Tan
Li-ming
LM
Dai
Ru-chun
RC
Xiao
Zhi-jie
ZJ
Liao
Hui-juan
HJ
D000818:Animals; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011800:Quinestrol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004958:Estradiol; C010722:nylestriol; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D011800:Quinestrol