Sex steroid modulation of neurokinin B gene expression in the arcuate nucleus of adult male rats

• Published in: Brain research. Molecular brain research. Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 200 - 204
• Main Authors: Danzer, Steve C, Price, Robin O, T. McMullen, Nathaniel, Rance, Naomi E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20.03.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - pharmacology; Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus - chemistry; Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Chemistry - drug effects; Brain Chemistry - physiology; Estrogen; Estrogens - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galanin - genetics; Gene Expression - drug effects; Hypothalamus; Male; Menopause; Neurokinin B - genetics; Orchiectomy; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reproduction; RNA, Messenger - analysis; Steroid hormones. Cholecalciferol derivatives; Testosterone; Testosterone - pharmacology; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Testosterone; Reproduction; Hypothalamus; Menopause; Estrogen; Androgen; Rat; Arcuate nucleus; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Male; Gene expression; Neuropeptide; Vertebrata; Neurokinin B; Mammalia; Testicular hormone; Sex steroid hormone; Tachykinin; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0169-328X; 1872-6941
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-328X(99)00024-8

Human menopause is associated with hypertrophy and increased gene expression of neurokinin (NKB) neurons in the infundibular (arcuate) nucleus of the hypothalamus. We have hypothesized that these changes are secondary to gonadal failure. In the present study, we determined that orchidectomy resulted in an increase in the mean profile area and the number of neurons expressing NKB mRNA in the rat arcuate nucleus. No changes were seen when orchidectomy was combined with testosterone or estradiol replacement. These findings support our hypothesis and demonstrate that gonadal steroids modulate NKB neurons in the arcuate nucleus of adult male rats.