Asymmetric effects of low doses of progesterone on GABA(A) receptor α4 subunit protein expression in the olfactory bulb of female rats.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of progesterone on the protein expression of α4 subunit of GABA(A) receptor, serotonin transporter (SERT), Akt, Erk, and caspase-3 in the olfactory bulb (OB) of female rats exposed to the forced swimming test (FST). Female rats were injected daily with progesterone (0.4 mg/kg body mass) or vehicle during 2 complete oestrous cycles and exposed to the FST, and the protein expression of GABA(A) receptor α4 subunit, SERT, Akt, Erk, and caspase-3 in the OB were evaluated. Progesterone increased the expression of the α4 subunit in the right OB and decreased its expression in the left OB, although it did not change the expression of other proteins. In summary, our findings indicate that progesterone has an asymmetric modulatory effect on the expression of GABA(A) receptor α4 subunit in the OB. This effect could be related to the antidepressant-like effect of progesterone in female rats.
a Laboratório de Interação Neuro-Humoral, Department of Physiology, ICBS - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS 90050-170, Brazil.
Bruno D
BD
Arbo
Susie
S
Andrade
Gabriela
G
Osterkamp
Rosane
R
Gomez
Maria Flávia
MF
Ribeiro
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; C546262:Gabra4 protein, rat; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C482440:Sert1 protein, rat; D011374:Progesterone
depression; dépression; forced swimming test; neuroprotection; serotonin transporter (SERT); steroids; stéroïdes; test de la nage forcée; transporteur de sérotonine (SERT)