Abstract
To determine the effects of ovarian steroid hormones on gap junction communication in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), we examined the effects of estrogen and/or progesterone on the expression of connexin-36 mRNA in the SCN and cerebral cortex (CX) of female rats. Ovariectomized adult rats were injected with 20 microg 17beta-Estradiol or sesame oil 48 h before sacrifice and further injected with 1.5 mg progesterone or sesame oil 24 h before sacrifice. Northern blot revealed that estrogen significantly increased the expression of connexin-36 mRNA in the SCN and this increase was inhibited by progesterone. On the other hand, the connexin-36 mRNA level in the CX was not affected by estrogen or progesterone. These results suggest that the gap junction with connexin-36 in the SCN is specifically regulated by ovarian steroid hormones of female rats.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Biological Clocks / drug effects
-
Biological Clocks / physiology
-
Cell Communication / drug effects
-
Cell Communication / physiology
-
Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
-
Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
-
Circadian Rhythm / drug effects*
-
Circadian Rhythm / physiology
-
Connexins / genetics*
-
Estrogens / metabolism
-
Estrogens / pharmacology*
-
Estrus / metabolism
-
Eye Proteins / genetics*
-
Female
-
Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
-
Gap Junctions / drug effects*
-
Gap Junctions / metabolism
-
Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
-
Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
-
Neurons / drug effects*
-
Neurons / metabolism
-
Progesterone / metabolism
-
Progesterone / pharmacology*
-
RNA, Messenger / drug effects
-
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
-
Rats
-
Rats, Wistar
-
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
-
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / drug effects*
-
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / metabolism
Substances
-
Connexins
-
Estrogens
-
Eye Proteins
-
RNA, Messenger
-
Progesterone