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Electronic Letters to:
- Cellular:
Mingzhong Yao, Thuy-Vi V. Nguyen, and Christian J. Pike- Estrogen Regulates Bcl-w and Bim Expression: Role in Protection against ß-Amyloid Peptide-Induced Neuronal Death
J. Neurosci. 2007; 27: 1422-1433[Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
eLetters: Submit a response to this article
Electronic letters published:
Hormone Receptor Expression in the Rodent Brain
- Michael J Bradaric, Brinda S. Desai (3 May 2007)
Hormone Receptor Expression in the Rodent Brain 3 May 2007 
Michael J Bradaric,
PhD student
Rush University Medical Center; Dept of Pharmacology; Chicago, IL 60612,
Brinda S. DesaiSend letter to journal:
Re: Hormone Receptor Expression in the Rodent Brain
Michael_Bradaric{at}rush.edu Michael J Bradaric, et al.
Recently, several studies have reported on the hormonal regulation, particularly estrogen, on neurodegenerative diseases. Although the precise role of estrogen in neurodegenerative diseases remains unclear, evidence has emerged regarding estrogen’s neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s Disease(1). Though animal models of neurodegenerative diseases have been studied extensively, many studies still use primary brain cell cultures. Most harvest fetal rodent brains at embryological day18 (E18) to evaluate hormonal effects on neurodegeneration as well as hormone receptor expression(1-3). The justification for using E18 culturesis that neuronal circuits are relatively plastic and uniform rendering it an excellent in vitro model. Additionally, prior to sexual differentiation, the default brain is "female". Therefore, differentiating female and male pups at E18 has traditionally been ignored. Such studies fail to acknowledge that sexual differences can be determined as early as E11 of rodent gestation(3-5). In other words, hormone receptor expression throughout the brain may be different between sexes. Furthermore, density of hormone receptors within a particular region may also be different between sexes. To circumvent the differences of hormone receptor expression between the sexes, cell cultures should be taken before the second trimester to ensure that all embryo brains are female. Based on emerging work in hormonal regulation, experimental results may be influenced by sex-based receptor expression on E18. Understanding the hormone expression throughout the brain in both sexes should be noted in order to clearly define the mechanism of action of a hormone and its relation to a particular disease.
1. Yao M, Nguyen TV, Pike CJ. Estrogen regulates Bcl-w and Bim expression: role in protection against beta-amyloid peptide-induced neuronal death. J Neurosci. 2007;27:1422-1433
2. Liu J, Cui S. Ontogeny of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and its co- localization with pituitary hormones in the pituitary gland of chick embryos. Cell Tissue Res. 2005;320:235-242
3. Karolczak M, Beyer C. Developmental sex differences in estrogen receptor-beta mRNA expression in the mouse hypothalamus/preoptic region. Neuroendocrinology. 1998;68:229-234
4. Colciago A, Celotti F, Pravettoni A et al. Dimorphic expression of testosterone metabolizing enzymes in the hypothalamic area of developing rats. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2005;155:107-116
5. Shinoda K. Sex-steroid receptor mechanism related to neuronal aromatase and the stigmoid body. Horm Behav. 1994;28:545-555
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