Blockade of estrogen action upregulates estrogen receptor-alpha mRNA in the fetal brain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fetal neuroendocrine maturation in late gestation is critical for maintenance of fetal homeostasis, growth, and readiness for birth. Sheep express estrogen receptors (ERs) in various brain regions. However, little is known about the regulation of ER-alpha and ER-beta in the ovine brain prenatally.

Objective

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the expression of ER is influenced by circulating estrogens in the late-gestation sheep fetus.

Methods

Six chronically-catheterized twin fetal sheep were treated with vehicle or the ER blocker ICI 182,780 i.c.v. (0.25 microg/day). Fetuses were sacrificed 6-14 days after surgery and start of infusion. Brain regions were rapidly isolated and snap-frozen for later extraction of mRNA and protein. ER-

SUBMITTER: Schaub CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2793321 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature