Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Time-dependent effects of ovarian steroids on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the limbic forebrain of female rats

  • Full Papers
  • Published:
Journal of Neural Transmission / General Section JNT Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

In this work, we have studied the time-course of the effects of pharmacological administration of ovarian steroids on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in the limbic forebrain of ovariectomized rats. Administration of estradiol produced a late decrease in TH activity. This effect was found 24 hours after the last steroid injection, disappearing at 32 hours. It was antagonized by progesterone, since a single injection of this steroid to estradiol-pretreated rats reversed to control values the estradiol-induced decrease. Nevertheless, the administration of progesterone after estradiol treatment caused a short-time decrease in the limbic activity of TH, which was observed 4 hours after the last steroid injection, disappearing subsequently. On the other hand, the administration of progesterone alone produced a biphasic effect, with a reduction at 24 hours, followed by an increase at 32 hours. These effects were only observed in the animals non-treated with estradiol, disappearing with a previous treatment with estrogens. Hence, it can be concluded that both ovarian steroids may affect the limbic TH activity. Thus, estradiol produced a late inhibitory effect on the activity of this enzyme, which was antagonized by progesterone. Administration of the last one to estradiol-treated rats produced a short-time inhibitory effect, whereas its administration to non-treated rats produced a late biphasic effect (inhibition followed by stimulation), which was not observed in estradiol-treated rats.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bedard P, Boucher R, Di Paolo T, Labrie F (1984) Interaction between estradiol, prolactin and striatal dopaminergic mechanisms. In: Hassler RG, Christ JF (eds) Advances in neurology, vol 40. Raven Press, New York, pp 489–495

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg JB, Vetulani J, Stawarz RF, Sulser F (1976) The noradrenergic cyclic AMP generating system in the limbic forebrain: pharmacological characterization and possible role in the mode of action of antipsychotics. Eur J Pharmacol 37: 357–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesselet MF (1984) Presynaptic regulation of neurotransmitter release in the rat brain. Neuroscience 12: 347–375

    Google Scholar 

  • Clopton JK, Gordon JH (1985) The possible role of 2-hydroxyestradiol in the developement of estrogen-induced striatal dopamine receptor hypersensitivity. Brain Res 333: 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowley WR (1982) Effects of ovarian hormones on norepinephrine and dopamine turnover in individual hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic nuclei. Neuroendocrinology 34: 381–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Paolo T, Dupont A, Daigle M (1982) Effect of chronic estradiol treatment on dopamine concentrations in discrete brain nuclei of hypophysectomized female rats. Neurosci Lett 32: 295–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Paolo T, Rouillard C, Bedard P (1985) 17-Beta-estradiol at physiological dose acutely increased dopamine turnover in rat brain. Eur J Pharmacol 117: 197–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Paolo T, Levesque D, Daigle M (1986) A physiological dose of progesterone affects rat striatum biogenic amine metabolism. Eur J Pharmacol 125: 11–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Dluzen DE, Ramirez VD (1984) Bimodal effect of progesterone on in vitro dopamine function of the rat corpus striatum. Neuroendocrinology 39: 149–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupont A, Di Paolo T, Gagne B, Barden N (1981) Effect of chronic estrogen treatment on dopamine levels and turnover in discrete brain nuclei of ovariectomized rats. Neurosci Lett 22: 69–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Ruiz JJ, Esquifino AI, Steger RW, Amador AG, Bartke A (1987) Presence of tyrosine hydroxylase in anterior pituitary adenomas and ectopic anterior pituitaries in male rats. Brain Res 421: 65–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Ruiz JJ, Pais JR, Cebeira M, Ramos JA (1988) Decreased dopamine turnover in striatum of female rats bearing ectopic pituitaries or with bilateral ovariectomy. Biogenic Amines 5: 115–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández JJ, Amor JC, Ramos JA (1989 a) Time-dependent effects of estradiol and progesterone on the number of striatal dopaminergic D 2-receptors. Brain Res 476: 388–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Ruiz JJ, Alvarez-Sanz C, Ramos JA (1989 b) 2-Hydroxyestradiol is not mediating the effect of estradiol on tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons controlling prolactin secretion in female rats. J Steroid Biochem 32: 71–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunnet JW, Lookingland KJ, Moore KE (1986) Effects of gonadal steroids on tuberoinfundibular and tuberohypophysial dopaminergic neuronal activity in male and female rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 183: 48–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Heritage AS, Stumpf WE, Sar M, Grand LD (1980) Brainstem catecholamine neurons are target sites for sex steroid hormones. Science 207: 1377–1379

    Google Scholar 

  • Holsboer F (1982) Hormones. In: Hippius H, Winkur G (eds) Psychopharmacology. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, pp 144–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Hruska RE (1986) Elevation of striatal dopamine receptors by estrogen: dose and time studies. J Neurochem 47: 1908–1915

    Google Scholar 

  • Hruska RE, Nowak MW (1988) Estrogen treatment increase the density of D 1-dopamine receptors in the rat striatum. Brain Res 442: 349–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalra SP, Kalra PS (1983) Neural regulation of luteinizing hormone secretion in the rat. Endocr Rev 4: 311–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Löfström A (1979) Effects of progesterone on catecholamine content in parts of the limbic system and preoptic area. Psychoneuroendocrinology 4: 75–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Louilot A, Taghzouti K, Simon H, Le Moal M (1989) Limbic system, basal ganglia and dopaminergic neurons. Brain Behav Evol 33: 157–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Luine VN, McEwen BS (1977) Effect of oestradiol on turnover of type A monoamine oxidase in brain. J Neurochem 28: 1221–1227

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLusky NJ, McEwen BS (1978) Oestrogen modulate progestin receptor concentrations in some rat brain regions but not in others. Nature 274: 276–278

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLusky NJ, McEwen BS (1980) Progestin receptors in rat brain: distribution and properties of cytoplasmic progestin-binding sites. Endocrinology 106: 192–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Maggi A, Pérez J (1985) Role of female gonadal hormones in the CNS: clinical and experimental aspects. Life Sci 37: 893–906

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS (1981) Neural gonadal steroid actions. Science 211: 1303–1311

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS, Parsons B (1982) Gonadal steroid action on the brain: neurochemistry and neuropharmacology. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 22: 555–598

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagatsu T, Oka K, Kato T (1979) Highly sensitive assay for tyrosine hydroxylase by high performance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr 163: 247–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowycky MC, Roth RH (1978) Dopaminergic neurons: role of presynaptic receptors in the regulation of transmitter biosynthesis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol 2: 139–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons B, Rainbow TC, MacLusky NJ, McEwen BS (1982) Progestin receptor levels in rat hypothalamic and limbic nuclei. J Neurosci 2: 1446–1452

    Google Scholar 

  • Raiteri M, Cerrito F, Del Carmine R, Levi J (1980) Studies on the mechanism of release of biogenic amines from central nerve endings. In: Levi-Montalcini R (ed) Nerve cells, transmitters and behaviour. Elsevier-North Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, pp 319–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajakumar G, Chiu P, Chiu S, Johnson RL, Mishra RK (1987) 17-beta-Estradiol-induced increase in brain dopamine D2 receptor: antagonism by MIF-1. Peptides 8: 997–1002

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramos JA, Pais JR, Cebeira M, Fernández-Ruiz JJ (1987) Role of estrogens on striatal dopaminergic activity. J Steroid Biochem 27: 683–689

    Google Scholar 

  • Rance N, Wise PW, Barraclough CA (1981) Negative feedback effects of progesterone correlated with changes in hypothalamic norepinephrine and dopamine turnover rates, median eminence luteinizing hormone releasing hormone and peripheral plasma gonadotropins. Endocrinology 108: 2194–2199

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith SS, Waterhouse BD, Woodward DJ (1987) Sex steroid effects on extrahypothalamic CNS. II. Progesterone, alone and in combination with estrogen modulates cerebellar responses to amino acid neurotransmitters. Brain Res 422: 52–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Starke K (1981) Presynaptic receptors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 21: 7–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Towle AC, Sze PY (1983) Steroid binding to synaptic plasma membrane: differential binding of glucocorticoids and gonadal steroids. J Steroid Biochem 18: 135–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Zigmond RE, Schwarzschild MH, Rittenhouse AR (1989) Acute regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase by nerve activity and by neurotransmitters via phophorylation. Annu Rev Neurosci 12: 415–461

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. J. J. Fernández-Ruiz

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain

    M. L. Hernández, R. de Miguel & J. A. Ramos

Authors
  1. M. L. Hernández
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. J. Fernández-Ruiz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. de Miguel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. A. Ramos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hernández, M.L., Fernández-Ruiz, J.J., de Miguel, R. et al. Time-dependent effects of ovarian steroids on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the limbic forebrain of female rats. J. Neural Transmission 83, 77–84 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01244454

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01244454

Keywords

Search

Navigation