Rapid Action of Estrogens on Intracellular Calcium Oscillations in Primate Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone-1 Neurons

Feedback controls of estrogen in LHRH-1 neurons play a pivotal role in reproductive function. However, the mechanism of estrogen action in LHRH-1 neurons is still unclear. In the present study, the effect of estrogens on intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) oscillations in primate LHRH-1 neurons was examined. Application of 17β-estradiol (E2, 1 nm) for 10 min increased the frequency of [Ca2+]i oscillations within a few minutes. E2 also increased the frequency of [Ca2+]i synchronization among LHRH-1 neurons. Similar E2 effects on the frequency of [Ca2+]i oscillations were observed under the presence of tetrodotoxin, indicating that estrogen appears to cause direct action on LHRH-1 neurons. Moreover, application of a nuclear membrane-impermeable estrogen dendrimer conjugate, not control dendrimer, resulted in a robust increase in the frequencies of [Ca2+]i oscillations and synchronizations, indicating that effects estrogens on [Ca2+]i oscillations and their synchronizations do not require their entry into the cell nucleus. Exposure of cells to E2 in the presence of the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 did not change the E2-induced increase in the frequency of [Ca2+]i oscillations or the E2-induced increase in the synchronization frequency. Collectively, estrogens induce rapid, direct stimulatory actions through receptors located in the cell membrane/cytoplasm of primate LHRH-1 neurons, and this action of estrogens is mediated by an ICI 182,780-insensitive mechanism yet to be identified.