Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 276, Issue 2, 3 December 1999, Pages 95-98
Neuroscience Letters

Expression of estrogen receptor-α and β mRNA in the developing and adult mouse striatum

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(99)00815-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Estrogen not only modulates nigrostriatal function but also developmental processes in the striatum. Recently, we have demonstrated the presence of the estrogen-synthesizing enzyme aromatase in the developing mouse striatum. This study is concerned with the expression of estrogen receptor-α/β (ER) mRNA in the developing and adult mouse striatum by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Expression of both ER subtypes occurred already prenatally and further increased until birth. Early postnatally, ER-α/β levels remained high but decreased to lower levels in adults. No sex difference in ER expression was observed. These data together with our previous findings demonstrate the simultaneous expression of both ER subtypes and aromatase in the mouse striatum. It is concluded that estrogen signalling through both nuclear receptors plays a potential role for striatal differentiation.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the technical assistance of M. Karolczak and G. Noack. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Be 1444/2-2).

References (23)

  • C Beyer

    Estrogen and the developing mammalian brain

    Anat. Embryol.

    (1999)
  • Cited by (96)

    • Exposure to environmental chemicals and perinatal psychopathology

      2022, Biochemical Pharmacology
      Citation Excerpt :

      These hormonal shifts during the peripartum are hypothesized to dysregulate the hypothalamic–pituitaryadrenal axis, a biological hallmark of depression [8]. One mechanism connecting the endocrine and neurotransmitter systems in the etiology of depression is dopamine, as dopamine neurons are expressed on hormone receptors (both estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors [9–13]), thereby representing the convergence of hormone and dopaminergic actions in the brain. However, while all women experience major hormonal changes in the perinatal period, only a subset develop depression and the factors that may contribute to this differential risk are not well understood.

    • Differences in navigation performance and postpartal striatal volume associated with pregnancy in humans

      2016, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
      Citation Excerpt :

      Together with the striatum, the hippocampus plays a crucial role in spatial learning and navigation (Keefe, Burgess, Donnett, Jeffery, & Maguire, 1998; McDonald & White, 1994). The striatum also contains estrogen receptors, and it’s function is modulated by estrogen (Küppers & Beyer, 1999; Van Hartesveldt & Joyce, 1986). It appears that estrogen also regulates the relative contributions of striatal and hippocampal structures to spatial learning, at least in rodents (e.g., Daniel & Lee, 2004).

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text