title: Estrogen modulates central and peripheral responses to cold in female rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether estrogen modulates central and peripheral responses to cold in female rats. In ovariectomized female rats with and without administered estrogen [E(2) (+) and E(2) (-), respectively], the counts of cFos-immunoreactive cells in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPO) and dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) in the hypothalamus were greater in the E(2) (+) rats than in the E(2) (-) rats at 5 degrees C. Examination of the response of normal female rats to exposure to 5 degrees C at different phases of the estrus cycle revealed that counts of cFos-immunoreactive cells in the MPO, DMH, and posterior hypothalamus and the level of uncoupling protein 1 mRNA in the brown adipose tissues were greater in the proestrus phase than on day 1 of the diestrus phase. This result was linked to the level of plasma estrogen. The body temperature during cold exposure was higher in the E(2) (+) rats than in the E(2) (-) rats and was also higher in the proestrus phase than on day 1 of the diestrus phase. We conclude that estrogen may affect central and peripheral responses involved in thermoregulation in the cold.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrative Physiology, Health and Welfare, Faculty of Human Sciences and Sports Sciences for the Promotion of Active Life, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kano
authors.forename: Saki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuhara
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokizawa
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens