QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (32) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zup, S. L. Articles by Forger, N. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zup, S. L. Articles by Forger, N. G.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, March 15, 2003, 23(6):2357

Overexpression of Bcl-2 Reduces Sex Differences in Neuron Number in the Brain and Spinal Cord

Susan L. Zup¹, Heather Carrier¹, Elizabeth M. Waters², Abigail Tabor¹, Lynn Bengston¹, Greta J. Rosen¹, Richard B. Simerly², and Nancy G. Forger¹

¹ Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, and ² Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Division of Neuroscience, Beaverton, Oregon 97006

Several sex differences in the nervous system depend on differential cell death during development in males and females. The anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, promotes the survival of many types of neurons during development and in response to injury. To determine whether Bcl-2 might similarly control cell death in sexually dimorphic regions, we compared neuron number in wild-type mice and transgenic mice overexpressing Bcl-2 under the control of a neuron-specific promoter. Three neural areas were examined: the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB), in which neuron number is greater in males; the retrodorsolateral nucleus (RDLN) of the spinal cord, which exhibits no sex difference in neuron number; and the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the hypothalamus, in which both overall cell density and the number of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-ir) neurons are greater in females. Bcl-2 overexpression significantly increased SNB cell number in females, overall cell density of AVPV in males, and RDLN cell number in both sexes. Bcl-2 overexpression did not alter the number of TH-ir neurons in AVPV of males or females. These findings indicate that Bcl-2 can regulate sexually dimorphic cell number in the brain and spinal cord and suggest that Bcl-2 may mediate effects of testosterone on cell survival during neural development. In contrast to the regulation of overall cell density in AVPV, the sex difference in TH cell number apparently is not caused by a Bcl-2-dependent mechanism.

Key words: Bcl-2; sex difference; cell death; nervous system; spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus; anteroventral periventricular nucleus

---

Copyright © 2003 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/03/2362357-06$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Krishnan, K. A. Intlekofer, L. K. Aggison, and S. L. Petersen Central role of TRAF-interacting protein in a new model of brain sexual differentiation PNAS, September 29, 2009; 106(39): 16692 - 16697. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. M. Waters and R. B. Simerly Estrogen Induces Caspase-Dependent Cell Death during Hypothalamic Development J. Neurosci., August 5, 2009; 29(31): 9714 - 9718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. J. de Vries, M. Jardon, M. Reza, G. J. Rosen, E. Immerman, and N. G. Forger Sexual Differentiation of Vasopressin Innervation of the Brain: Cell Death Versus Phenotypic Differentiation Endocrinology, September 1, 2008; 149(9): 4632 - 4637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C A Wilson and D C Davies The control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system and brain Reproduction, February 1, 2007; 133(2): 331 - 359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. S. Rubin, J. R. Lenkowski, C. M. Schaeberle, L. N. Vandenberg, P. M. Ronsheim, and A. M. Soto Evidence of Altered Brain Sexual Differentiation in Mice Exposed Perinatally to Low, Environmentally Relevant Levels of Bisphenol A Endocrinology, August 1, 2006; 147(8): 3681 - 3691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Jacob, C. L. Bengston, and N. G. Forger Effects of Bax Gene Deletion on Muscle and Motoneuron Degeneration in a Sexually Dimorphic Neuromuscular System J. Neurosci., June 8, 2005; 25(23): 5638 - 5644. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. B. Huppenbauer, L. Tanzer, L. L. DonCarlos, and K. J. Jones Gonadal Steroid Attenuation of Developing Hamster Facial Motoneuron Loss by Axotomy: Equal Efficacy of Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, and 17-{beta} Estradiol J. Neurosci., April 20, 2005; 25(16): 4004 - 4013. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. G. Forger, G. J. Rosen, E. M. Waters, D. Jacob, R. B. Simerly, and G. J. de Vries Deletion of Bax eliminates sex differences in the mouse forebrain PNAS, September 14, 2004; 101(37): 13666 - 13671. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. J. De Vries Minireview: Sex Differences in Adult and Developing Brains: Compensation, Compensation, Compensation Endocrinology, March 1, 2004; 145(3): 1063 - 1068. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Sun, T. W. Gould, S. Vinsant, D. Prevette, and R. W. Oppenheim Neuromuscular Development after the Prevention of Naturally Occurring Neuronal Death by Bax Deletion J. Neurosci., August 13, 2003; 23(19): 7298 - 7310. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help