Gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons express estrogen receptor-beta.
BACKGROUND
Recent identification of the second estrogen receptor (ER) isoform (ER-beta) within GnRH neurons of the rodent brain has generated much enthusiasm in the field of neuroendocrine research by questioning the dogma that GnRH cells do not directly sense changes in circulating estrogens.


OBJECTIVE
To address the issue of whether GnRH neurons of the human hypothalamus also contain ER-beta, we have performed dual-label immunocytochemical studies.


METHODS
Tissue sections were prepared from autopsy samples of male human individuals (n = 8; age < 50 yr), with sudden causes of death. Technical efforts were made to minimize postmortem interval (<24 h), optimize tissue fixation (use of a mixture of 2% paraformaldehyde and 4% acrolein for four tissue samples), and sensitize the immunocytochemical detection of ER-beta (application of silver-intensified nickel-diaminobenzidine chromogen).


METHODS
Distribution and percent ratio of GnRH neurons that also contained ER-beta immunoreactivity were analyzed under the light microscope.


RESULTS
With acrolein in tissue fixative, nuclear ER-beta immunoreactivity was observed in 10.8-28.0% of GnRH neurons of the four different individuals. ER-beta-containing GnRH neurons were widely distributed in the hypothalamus, without showing a noticeable preference in regional location.


CONCLUSIONS
The demonstration of ER-beta and the previous lack of detection of ER-alpha in human GnRH cells indicate that estrogens may exert direct actions upon GnRH neurons exclusively through ER-beta. In the light of differing ligand-binding characteristics of ER-beta from those of ER-alpha, this discovery offers a potential new approach to influence estrogen feedback to GnRH neurons through ER-beta-selective receptor ligands.
Hrabovszky
E
E
Laboratory of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1083 Hungary. hrabovszky@koki.hu
Kalló
I
I
Szlávik
N
N
Keller
E
E
Merchenthaler
I
I
Liposits
Z
Z
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone