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Sex Steroids Effects on the Content of GAD, TH, GABAA, and Glutamate Receptors in the Olfactory Bulb of the Male Rat

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Abstract

Sex steroids exert multiple functions in the central nervous system. They modulate responses to olfactory information in mammals but their participation in the regulation of neurotransmission in the olfactory bulb is unknown. We studied by Western blot the effects of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and allopregnanolone (Allo) on the content of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), γ-aminobutyric acid A receptor α-2 subunit (GABAAR α-2), glutamate receptor 2/3 (GlutR 2/3), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the olfactory bulb of gonadectomized male rats. GAD content was increased by all steroids administered alone. Interestingly, progestins reduced E2 effects on GAD content. Steroids increased the content of TH and GABAAR α-2. In contrast, GlutR 2/3 content was decreased by E2 and P4, whereas Allo did not modify it. These results suggest that estrogens and progestins regulate olfactory bulb functions in the male rat by modulating the expression of key proteins involved in several neurotransmission systems.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Dr. Maria G. Campos from UIM en Farmacología, CMN SXXI-IMSS, for the revision of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Investigación Médica en Farmacología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Christian Guerra-Araiza & Alfredo Miranda-Martinez

  2. Facultad de Química, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Teresa Neri-Gómez & Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo

Authors
  1. Christian Guerra-Araiza
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  2. Alfredo Miranda-Martinez
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  3. Teresa Neri-Gómez
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  4. Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo.

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Special issue article in honor of Dr. Ricardo Tapia.

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Guerra-Araiza, C., Miranda-Martinez, A., Neri-Gómez, T. et al. Sex Steroids Effects on the Content of GAD, TH, GABAA, and Glutamate Receptors in the Olfactory Bulb of the Male Rat. Neurochem Res 33, 1568–1573 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-008-9665-1

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