Blockade of estrogen receptors decreases CNS and pituitary prostaglandin synthase expression in fetal sheep.

ABSTRACT:

Background/aims

Both prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and estradiol stimulate fetal ACTH secretion and augment fetal ACTH responses to stress. We have reported that estradiol increases prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-2 (PGHS-2), and we have proposed that there is a positive feedback relationship between estrogen and fetal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity that is dependent upon PGHS activity in the fetal brain. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that blockade of estrogen receptors in the fetal brain decrease PGHS-2 expression and reduces fetal HPA axis activity.

Methods

In study 1, six time-dated pregnant ewes with chronically-catheterized twin fetuses were used. In each pregnancy, one twin was treated intracerebroventricularly (icv) with the e

SUBMITTER: Schaub CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2793319 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature