title: Steroid Receptors and Aromatase Gene Expression in Different Brain Areas of Copulating and Sexually Sluggish Male Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexually sluggish (SS) males have been identified in several species of mammals including rats. These animals take more than 30 minutes to ejaculate; they do not ejaculate or do so inconsistently despite being tested repeatedly with sexually receptive females. Different brain areas and hormones play an important role in the control of male sexual behavior.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine gene expression for the androgen receptor (AR), the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), the progesterone receptor (PR), and the aromatase enzyme (ARO), in brain regions important in the control of male sexual behavior including the medial preoptic area (MPOA), the amygdala (AMG), the olfactory bulb (OB), and, as a control, the cortex (CTX) of copulating (C) and SS male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Males that ejaculated within 30 minutes in three tests with receptive females were included in the C group, while those males that ejaculated in one or none of the four tests were included in the SS group. RNA was isolated 1 week after the last test of sexual behavior, and cDNA was synthesized from the brain areas listed above.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of the AR, ERα, PR, and ARO genes was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cyclophilin A (CycA) and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase-tryptophan activation protein zeta (Ywhaz) were housekeeping genes used to determine relative gene expression with the 2(-ΔΔCt) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of mRNA for AR and ARO increased in the MPOA of SS males. ARO mRNA was increased in the AMG of SS males. In the OB, ERα mRNA was increased and AR mRNA reduced in SS males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate SS and C males show differences in gene expression within brain regions controlling sexual behavior.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Anaid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antaramian
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Ugalde
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Portillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Raúl G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Paredes
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology*; D004542:Ejaculation; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
keywords: Androgen Receptor (AR); Aromatase Enzyme (P450); Copulating Males (C); Estrogen Receptor Alpha (ERα); Sexually Sluggish (SS)