| First Author | Rosinger ZJ | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | Neuroscience | Volume | 409 |
| Pages | 195-203 | PubMed ID | 31055007 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:283010 | Mgi Id | MGI:6384513 |
| Doi | 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.04.045 | Citation | Rosinger ZJ, et al. (2019) A sexually dimorphic distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 in the paraventricular hypothalamus. Neuroscience 409:195-203 |
| abstractText | Sex differences in neural structures are generally believed to underlie sex differences reported in anxiety, depression, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, although the specific circuitry involved is largely unclear. Using a corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) reporter mouse line, we report a sexually dimorphic distribution of CRFR1 expressing cells within the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN; males > females). Relative to adult levels, PVN CRFR1-expressing cells are sparse and not sexually dimorphic at postnatal days 0, 4, or 21. This suggests that PVN cells might recruit CRFR1 during puberty or early adulthood in a sex-specific manner. The adult sex difference in PVN CRFR1 persists in old mice (20-24months). Adult gonadectomy (6weeks) resulted in a significant decrease in CRFR1-immunoreactive cells in the male but not female PVN. CRFR1 cells show moderate co-expression with estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and high co-expression with androgen receptor, indicating potential mechanisms through which circulating gonadal hormones might regulate CRFR1 expression and function. Finally, we demonstrate that a psychological stressor, restraint stress, induces a sexually dimorphic pattern of neural activation in PVN CRFR1 cells (males >females) as assessed by co-localization with the transcription/neural activation marker phosphorylated CREB. Given the known role of CRFR1 in regulating stress-associated behaviors and hormonal responses, this CRFR1 PVN sex difference might contribute to sex differences in these functions. |
