title: Regulation of the female rat estrous cycle by a neural cell-specific epidermal growth factor-like repeat domain containing protein, NELL2.
abstract: NELL2, a protein containing epidermal growth factor-like repeat domains, is predominantly expressed in the nervous system. In the mammalian brain, NELL2 expression is mostly neuronal. Previously we found that NELL2 is involved in the onset of female puberty by regulating the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and in normal male sexual behavior by controlling the development of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (POA). In this study we investigated the effect of NELL2 on the female rat estrous cycle. NELL2 expression in the POA was highest during the proestrous phase. NELL2 mRNA levels in the POA were increased by estrogen treatment in ovariectomized female rats. Blocking NELL2 synthesis in the female rat hypothalamus decreased the expression of kisspeptin 1, an important regulator of the GnRH neuronal apparatus, and resulted in disruption of the estrous cycle at the diestrous phase. These results indicate that NELL2 is involved in the maintenance of the normal female reproductive cycle in mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680-749, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Han Rae
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin Kwon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Byung Ju
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D059648:Kisspeptins; C491252:Nell2 protein, rat; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone