Estrogen receptor (ER) beta modulates ERalpha responses to estrogens in the developing rat ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus.
The mechanisms by which estradiol exerts specific actions on neural function are unclear. In brain the actions of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha are well documented, whereas the functions of ERbeta are not yet fully elucidated. Here, we report that ERbeta inhibits the activity of ERalpha in an anatomically specific manner within the neonatal (postnatal d 7) brain. Using selective agonists we demonstrate that the selective activation of ERalpha in the relative absence of ERbeta activation induces progesterone receptor expression to a greater extent than estradiol alone in the ventromedial nucleus, but not the medial preoptic nucleus, despite high ERalpha expression. Selective activation of ERbeta attenuates the ERalpha-mediated increase in progesterone receptor expression in the ventromedial nucleus but has no effect in medial preoptic nucleus. These results suggest that ERalpha/ERbeta interactions may regulate the effects of estrogens on neural development and reveal the neonatal brain as a unique model in which to study the specificity of steroid-induced gene expression.
Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, USA. kgonzales@uamail.albany.edu
Keith L
KL
Gonzales
Marc J
MJ
Tetel
Christine K
CK
Wagner
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D010636:Phenols; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D011422:Propionates
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens; D009570:Nitriles; D010636:Phenols; D011720:Pyrazoles; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; C486182:2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile; D011422:Propionates; C486184:4,4',4''-(4-propyl-((1)H)-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) tris-phenol