[Effects of estrogen on P-Tau, ChAT and nerve growth factor protein expressions in the brain tissue of rats with Alzheimer's disease].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of estrogen on the expressions of phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau), ChAT and nerve growth factor (NGF) protein in the brain tissue of rat models of Alzheimer disease (AD).


METHODS
Rat models of AD were established by injecting Aβ1-42 protein fragments in the right lateral ventricle. Two weeks later, 17β-estradiol tablets were implanted subcutaneously at the neck of the rats and maintained for 30 days. The pathological changes in the rats' brain neurons and alterations in the expressions of P-Tau, ChAT and NGF proteins were observed using HE staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively.


RESULTS
In the AD rats, neurofibrillary tangles occurred in the brain tissue, and estrogen treatment significantly reduced the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Estrogen treatment also resulted in lowered P-Tau expression and increased ChAT and NGF protein expressions in comparison with those in the AD model rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Estrogen can up-regulate ChAT and NGF and down-regulate tau protein expression, thus producing obvious therapeutic effect on AD in rats.
Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China. hy139378@126.com
Yue
Y
Huagn
Yu-ming
YM
Xu
Jie-wen
JW
Zhang
Xiu-hua
XH
Ren
Ai-qin
AQ
Suo
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
C072167:CAT development factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D016875:tau Proteins; D004958:Estradiol