Premium
Differential expression of estrogen receptor alpha and beta in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons
Author(s) -
Taleghany N.,
Sarajari S.,
DonCarlos L.L.,
Gollapudi L.,
Oblinger M.M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19990901)57:5<603::aid-jnr3>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - estrogen receptor , estrogen receptor beta , estrogen receptor alpha , dorsal root ganglion , estrogen , medicine , endocrinology , ovariectomized rat , biology , immunocytochemistry , in situ hybridization , messenger rna , receptor , neuroscience , sensory system , gene , biochemistry , cancer , breast cancer
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) mRNAs are both expressed in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, but the distribution of these two mRNAs differs markedly. Radiolabeled probes highly specific to ERα or ERβ mRNAs were used for in situ hybridization studies; two antibodies specific to ERα protein were used for immunocytochemistry and specific primers were used for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) studies. These revealed that ERβ mRNA is widely expressed in the DRG of both male and female rats, with virtually all neurons showing positive signals. In contrast, ERα mRNA, as well as nuclear localized ERα protein, is more restricted in its localization and is present in many, but not all, of the small‐sized (<600 μm 2 ) DRG neurons, but is only rarely present in larger neurons. The L6‐S1 DRG levels, which contain sensory neurons that innervate reproductive tissues, are relatively enriched in ERα compared to L3‐L5 DRG levels, which contain sensory neurons that innervate hind limb regions. Long‐term estrogen treatment of ovariectomized rats (21–28 days) dramatically reduces immunocytochemically detectable ERα protein in the DRG relative to that in ovariectomized controls. RT‐PCR studies also showed that long‐term estrogen treatment of ovariectomized rats downregulates the levels of ERα mRNA, but upregulates the levels of ERβ mRNA in the DRG. Interestingly, in intact cycling female rats, ERα and ERβ mRNA levels in the DRG were both higher during proestrus compared to metestrus. These findings suggest that the changes in expression of estrogen receptors which occur dynamically during the estrus cycle differ from those induced by long‐term estrogen treatment of ovariectomized animals. J. Neurosci. Res. 57:603–615, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.