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Rapid estrogen regulation of DHEA metabolism in the male and female songbird brain
Author(s) -
Pradhan Devaleena S.,
Yu Yan,
Soma Kiran K.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04953.x
Subject(s) - songbird , estrogen , endocrinology , medicine , metabolism , biology , neuroscience , ecology
Abstract In the songbird brain, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is metabolized to the active and aromatizable androgen androstenedione (AE) by 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5‐Δ4 isomerase (3β‐HSD). Thus, brain 3β‐HSD plays a key role in regulating the steroidal milieu of the nervous system. Previous studies have shown that stress rapidly regulates brain 3β‐HSD activity in a sex‐specific manner. To elucidate endocrine regulation of brain 3β‐HSD, we asked whether 17β‐estradiol (E 2 ) regulates DHEA metabolism in adult zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ) and whether there are sex‐specific effects. Brain tissue was homogenized and centrifuged to obtain supernatant lacking whole cells and cell nuclei. Supernatant was incubated with [ 3 H]DHEA and radioinert E 2 in vitro . Within only 10 min, E 2 significantly reduced 3β‐HSD activity in both male and female brain. Interestingly, the rapid effects of E 2 were more pronounced in females than males. These are the first data to show a rapid effect of estrogens on the songbird brain and suggest that rapid estrogen effects differ between male and female brains.