Premium
Effect of progesterone on the expression of GABA A receptor subunits in the prefrontal cortex of rats: implications of sex differences and brain hemisphere
Author(s) -
Andrade Susie,
Arbo Bruno D.,
Batista Bruna A. M.,
Neves Alice M.,
Branchini Gisele,
Brum Ilma S.,
Barros Helena M. T.,
Gomez Rosane,
Ribeiro Maria Flavia M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
cell biochemistry and function
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1099-0844
pISSN - 0263-6484
DOI - 10.1002/cbf.2854
Subject(s) - prefrontal cortex , endocrinology , medicine , estrous cycle , gabaa receptor , neuroactive steroid , protein subunit , biology , receptor , chemistry , psychology , neuroscience , biochemistry , gene , cognition
Progesterone is a neuroactive hormone with non‐genomic effects on GABA A receptors (GABA A R). Changes in the expression of GABA A R subunits are related to depressive‐like behaviors in rats. Moreover, sex differences and depressive behaviors have been associated with prefrontal brain asymmetry in rodents and humans. Thus, our objective was to investigate the effect of progesterone on the GABA A R α 1 and γ 2 subunits mRNA expression in the right and left prefrontal cortex of diestrus female and male rats exposed to the forced swimming test (FST). Male and female rats ( n = 8/group) were randomly selected to receive a daily dose of progesterone (0·4 mg·kg –1 ) or vehicle, during two complete female estrous cycles (8–10 days). On the experiment day, male rats or diestrus female rats were euthanized 30 min after the FST. Our results showed that progesterone significantly increased the α 1 subunit mRNA in both hemispheres of male and female rats. Moreover, there was an inverse correlation between depressive‐like behaviors and GABA A R α 1 subunit mRNA expression in the right hemisphere in female rats. Progesterone decreased the GABA A R γ 2 mRNA expression only in the left hemisphere of male rats. Therefore, we conclude that the GABA A system displays an asymmetric distribution according to sex and that progesterone, at lower doses, presents an antidepressant effect after increasing the GABA A R α 1 subunit expression in the right prefrontal cortex of female rats. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.