Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1.
Estrogen treatment increases apoptotic-like changes in nuclear morphology of AVPV neurons in vivo. Treatment of neonatal rats with EB for 24 h increased nuclear blebbing on P3 but not P7 compared with oil. A, The number of TH-ir neurons in the AVPV of rats treated on P2 with EB was significantly reduced within 24 h (P3) and remained low at P10. B, Hoescht labeling was used to visualize condensed, fragmented apoptotic nuclei. On P2, the number of apoptotic nuclei was high and began to decrease over time in oil-treated control animals; however, 24 h after EB treatment there was an increase in numbers of apoptotic nuclei, which then decreased to control levels by P6. C, EB treatment of rats on P2 increased numbers of apoptotic nuclei in the AVPV 24 h later, but not if the treatments were administered on P7. D, Apoptotic nuclei increased in the AVPV of wild-type mice but did not change in ERKO mice after 24 h of EB treatment. n = 3–5 animals per group. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 compared with oil.
- Figure 2.
Rapid differentiation of AVPV explants is ER dependent. Exposure of AVPV explants derived from postnatal female rats to 10−5 m E2 reduced TH-ir cell numbers to that typical of adult males. The effect of E2 exposure on the number of TH-ir cells was blocked by concurrent application of the ER antagonist ICI 182,780 (ICI). A, Addition of three doses of E2 to the culture medium reduced the number of TH-ir neurons in AVPV explants, but only the 10−5 m E2 dose caused a complete masculinization. B, Concurrent incubation of ICI, 182,780 with 10−5 m E2 caused a dose-dependent blockade of loss of TH-ir cells in AVPV explants. Exposure of AVPV explants to 10−5 m ICI 182,780 alone had no effect on TH-ir cell number. n = 3–5 explants per group. *p < 0.05 compared with vehicle.
- Figure 3.
CsA blocks E2-induced reduction of TH-ir cells in AVPV explants. Concurrent treatment with E2 and 0.1, 1.0, or 10.0 μm CsA prevented E2-induced loss of TH-ir cells. *p < 0.01 compared with vehicle.
- Figure 4.
Caspase inhibition blocks E2-induced loss of TH-ir cells. A, Immunofluorescence images of TH-ir cells in AVPV explants treated with 10−5 m E2, 10−5 m E2 plus 5 × 10−5 m ZVAD, or vehicle for 48 h. 3v, Third ventricle. B, Concurrent treatment with E2 (10−5 m) and 2.5 × 10−5 m ZVAD did not prevent loss of TH-ir cells in AVPV explants, but 5 × 10−5 m ZVAD fully blocked E2-induced loss of TH-ir neurons. Treatment with 2.0 × 10−4 m ZVAD alone had no effect on the number of TH-ir cells. *p < 0.05 compared with vehicle. Scale bar, 25 μm.
