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Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 4AT; and the Human and Animal Physiology Group, Department of Animal Science, Wageningen Agricultural University (E.M.V.), Wageningen 6709, The Netherlands
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Allan E. Herbison, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 4AT. E-mail: allan.herbison{at}bbsrc.ac.uk
Norepinephrine (NE) neurons within the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS;
A2 neurons) and ventrolateral medulla (A1 neurons) represent gonadal
steroid-dependent components of several neural networks regulating
reproduction. Previous studies have shown that both A1 and A2 neurons
express estrogen receptors (ERs). Using double labeling
immunocytochemistry we report here that substantial numbers of NE
neurons located within the NTS express progesterone receptor (PR)
immunoreactivity, whereas few PRs are found in ventrolateral medulla.
The evaluation of ER
and PR immunoreactivity in NE neurons through
the estrous cycle revealed a fluctuating pattern of expression for both
receptors within the NTS. The percentage of A2 neurons expressing PR
immunoreactivity was low on metestrus and diestrus (3–7%), but
increased significantly to approximately 24% on proestrous morning and
remained at intermediate levels until estrus. The pattern of ER
immunoreactivity in A2 neurons was more variable, but a similar
increment from 11% to 40% of NE neurons expressing ER was found
from diestrus to proestrus. Experiments in ovariectomized,
estrogen-treated and estrogen-plus progesterone-treated rats revealed
that PR immunoreactivity in A2 neurons was induced strongly by estrogen
treatment, whereas progesterone had no significant effect. The numbers
of ER-positive NE neurons were not influenced by steroid treatment.
These observations provide direct evidence for PRs in NE neurons of the
brainstem and show that cyclical patterns of gonadal steroid receptor
expression exist in A2, but not A1, neurons through the rat estrous
cycle. The expression of PR in A2 neurons appears to be driven
principally by circulating estrogen concentrations. The fluctuating
levels of ER and PR expression in these brainstem NE neurons may
help generate cyclical patterns of biosynthetic and electrical activity
within reproductive neural networks.
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