Estrogen in cycling rats alters gene expression in the temporomandibular joint, trigeminal ganglia and trigeminal subnucleus caudalis/upper cervical cord junction.

ABSTRACT: Females report temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain more than men and studies suggest estrogen modulates this pain response. Our goal in this study was to determine genes that are modulated by physiological levels of 17β-estradiol that could have a role in TMJ pain. To complete this goal, saline or complete Freund's adjuvant was injected in the TMJ when plasma 17β-estradiol was low or when it was at a high proestrus level. TMJ, trigeminal ganglion, and trigeminal subnucleus caudalis/upper cervical cord junction (Vc/C(1-2) ) tissues were isolated from the treated rats and expression of 184 genes was quantitated in each tissue using real-time PCR. Significant changes in the amount of specific transcripts were observed in the TMJ tissues, trigeminal ganglia, and Vc/C(1-2) region when comparing

SUBMITTER: Puri J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3110508 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature