| First Author | Contoreggi NH | Year | 2021 |
| Journal | J Comp Neurol | Volume | 529 |
| Issue | 9 | Pages | 2283-2310 |
| PubMed ID | 33341960 | Mgi Jnum | J:343882 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6719188 | Doi | 10.1002/cne.25093 |
| Citation | Contoreggi NH, et al. (2021) Sex and age influence gonadal steroid hormone receptor distributions relative to estrogen receptor beta-containing neurons in the mouse hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. J Comp Neurol 529(9):2283-2310 |
| abstractText | Within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), estrogen receptor (ER) beta and other gonadal hormone receptors play a role in central cardiovascular processes. However, the influence of sex and age on the cellular and subcellular relationships of ERbeta with ERalpha, G-protein ER (GPER1), as well as progestin and androgen receptors (PR and AR) in the PVN is uncertain. In young (2- to 3-month-old) females and males, ERbeta-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) containing neurons were approximately four times greater than ERalpha-labeled and PR-labeled nuclei in the PVN. In subdivisions of the PVN, young females, compared to males, had: (1) more ERbeta-EGFP neurons in neuroendocrine rostral regions; (2) fewer ERalpha-labeled nuclei in neuroendocrine and autonomic projecting medial subregions; and (3) more ERalpha-labeled nuclei in an autonomic projecting caudal region. In contrast, young males, compared to females, had approximately 20 times more AR-labeled nuclei, which often colocalized with ERbeta-EGFP in neuroendocrine (approximately 70%) and autonomic (approximately 50%) projecting subregions. Ultrastructurally, in soma and dendrites, PVN ERbeta-EGFP colocalized primarily with extranuclear AR (approximately 85% soma) and GPER1 (approximately 70% soma). Aged (12- to 24-month-old) males had more ERbeta-EGFP neurons in a rostral neuroendocrine subregion compared to aged females and females with accelerated ovarian failure (AOF) and in a caudal autonomic subregion compared to post-AOF females. Late-aged (18- to 24-month-old) females compared to early-aged (12- to 14-month-old) females and AOF females had fewer AR-labeled nuclei in neuroendrocrine and autonomic projecting subregions. These findings indicate that gonadal steroids may directly and indirectly influence PVN neurons via nuclear and extranuclear gonadal hormone receptors in a sex-specific manner. |
