| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ORIKASA Chitose Nippon Medidal School, Research Associate, 医学部, 助手 (20270671)
KIYAMA Yuko Nippon Medical School, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 講師 (60234390)
KATO Masakatsu Nippon Medical School, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (90143239)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥8,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥7,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥7,300,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Estrogens are involved in both endocrine and behavioral sex differentiation during brain development and sex-specific regulation of reproductive neuroendocrinology and behavior in adulthood. Cellular estrogen signaling is conveyed by nuclear estrogen receptors (ER) which include the classical ERα as well as the recently cloned ERβ. Both ERs are expressed in the preoptic area (POA), hypothalamus, limbic structures, which have been implicated in the regulation of reproduction. It is controversial, however, whether ERβ is expressed in sex-specific manner like ERα. Co-localization of the two ERs in identical neurons, which would alter the specificity of the transcription by forming heterodimers and produce variable responses to estrogen in different cells depending on the ratios of ERα and ERβ they contain, is also yet to be established.
Disruption of either ERα or ERβ by gene targeting affects various aspects of reproduction. Female and male ERα knockout mice are inflertile and ERβ knockou
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t females have a reduced fecundity. Anovulation and hemorrhagic or polycystic ovary are present in either the ERα or ERβ knockout females. The syndrome is due, at least partially, to the central mechanism for the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), because several regimens that decrease gonadotropin secretion ameliorate the defects. Negative feedback action of estrogen on gonadotropin secretion is compromised in ERα-disrupted female and male mice, but progesterone receptor can be induced by estrogen in the POA of male castrates, presumably through ERβ. The major caveat associated with the use of ER knockout mice, however, is that the two ERs may interact to modulate transcriptional activity in certain cells, making separate identification of the action of ERα and ERβ difficult.
Estrogen-induced progesterone receptors act as a neuronal transcription factor which triggers GnRH surge in the female rat by altering synthesis or activity of neurotransmitters involved in the regulation of GnRH neurons. Progesterone receptors in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the POA may be particularly important. The AVPV is sexually dimorphic with over 3 times as many dopaminergic neurons in the female rat compared with males. The AVPV also contains sexually dimorphic populations of peptidergic neurons or glutamate receptor subunits, and has been implicated in the female-specific ovulatory release of GnRH with its direct projections to GnRH neurons. Indeed, small lesions confined to this region block the cyclic release of gonadotropins in the female rat and culminates in an anovulatory, persistent estrous state. Injections of progesterone receptor antisense oligonucleotides into the third ventricle adjacent to the AVPV blocks the induction of the receptor protein and prevents luteinizing-hormone surge.
We found a striking sex difference in the ERβ expression in the AVPV.Neonatal steroid status altered the sexual phenotype. ERβ mRNA co-localized in 84% of estrogen ERα immunoreactive cells, and may be dopaminergic in nature. Infusion of ERβ antisense oligonucleotides into the third ventricle adjacent to the AVPV diminished ERβ protein and produced constant vaginal diestrus. Less
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