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24 October 2017 Distinct dynorphin expression patterns with low- and high-dose estrogen treatment in the arcuate nucleus of female rats
Moeko Kanaya, Kinuyo Iwata, Hitoshi Ozawa
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Kisspeptin (KISS1; encoded by Kiss1) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) coexpress tachykinin 3 (TAC3; also known as neurokinin B) and dynorphin A (PDYN). Accordingly, they are termed KNDy neurons and considered to be crucial in generating pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Accumulating evidence suggests that Kiss1 and Tac3 are negatively regulated by estrogen. However, it has not been fully determined whether and how estrogen modulates Pdyn and PDYN. Here, we examined the expression of Pdyn mRNA and PDYN by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in the ARC of female rats after ovariectomy (OVX) and OVX plus low- or high-dose beta-estradiol (E2) replacement. We also investigated the effect of E2 on expression of Kiss1, KISS1, Tac3, and TAC3. Furthermore, colocalization of PDYN and estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) was determined. Subsequently, we found that low-dose E2 treatment had no effect on Pdyn mRNA-expressing cells, but increased PDYN-immunoreactive (ir) cell numbers. In contrast, high-dose E2 treatment resulted in prominent reductions in both Pdyn mRNA-expressing and PDYN-ir cell numbers. Changes induced by low or high doses of E2 were similarly observed in the expression of Kiss1, KISS1, Tac3, and TAC3. The majority of PDYN-ir neurons coexpressed ESR1 in all groups. Our results indicate that E2 regulates the expression of PDYN, as well as KISS1 and TAC3, with regulation by E2 differing according to its levels.

Summary Sentence

Estrogen regulates dynorphin expression in the arcuate nucleus of female rats with low-dose estrogen suppressing dynorphin release and high-dose estrogen inhibiting dynorphin mRNA expression.

© The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Moeko Kanaya, Kinuyo Iwata, and Hitoshi Ozawa "Distinct dynorphin expression patterns with low- and high-dose estrogen treatment in the arcuate nucleus of female rats," Biology of Reproduction 97(5), 709-718, (24 October 2017). https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/iox131
Received: 30 June 2017; Accepted: 20 October 2017; Published: 24 October 2017
KEYWORDS
arcuate nucleus (ARC)
dynorphin
estrogen
female rats
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
kisspeptin
KNDy neuron
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