Abstract
In mammals, females generally appear more vulnerable to stressors than males. The non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus (npEW) has been implicated in regulation of the stress response. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cocaine- and amphetamine-related transcript peptide (CART) are sex-specifically involved in the stress response too, and are present in the human and rat npEW. We hypothesized that male and female rats would differ in the expression of BDNF and CART in the npEW. Using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization we found that BDNF, CART and the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) are colocalized in the npEW. Q-RT-PCR showed no differences in CART and BDNF coding mRNAs between males and females, but quantitative immunocytochemistry revealed a 16% lower number of BDNF-immunoreactive neurons, and 19% lower CART-immunoreactivity in females compared to males. Considering the fact that Ucn1, CART and BDNF are co-expressed in the npEW with ERβ and their protein expression differs between males and females, we propose that the functioning of the npEW may contribute to the sex differences that exist in stress sensitivity.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2268-2274 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Peptides |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Immunocytochemistry
- In situ hybridization
- Major depression
- Quantitative RT-PCR
- Sex difference
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Endocrinology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Cite this
Sex-specific expression of BDNF and CART in the midbrain non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus in the rat. / Derks, Nicole M.; Gaszner, Balázs; Bernhardt, Katharina; Roubos, Eric W.; Kozicz, Tamas.
In: Peptides, Vol. 30, No. 12, 01.12.2009, p. 2268-2274.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex-specific expression of BDNF and CART in the midbrain non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus in the rat
AU - Derks, Nicole M.
AU - Gaszner, Balázs
AU - Bernhardt, Katharina
AU - Roubos, Eric W.
AU - Kozicz, Tamas
PY - 2009/12/1
Y1 - 2009/12/1
N2 - In mammals, females generally appear more vulnerable to stressors than males. The non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus (npEW) has been implicated in regulation of the stress response. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cocaine- and amphetamine-related transcript peptide (CART) are sex-specifically involved in the stress response too, and are present in the human and rat npEW. We hypothesized that male and female rats would differ in the expression of BDNF and CART in the npEW. Using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization we found that BDNF, CART and the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) are colocalized in the npEW. Q-RT-PCR showed no differences in CART and BDNF coding mRNAs between males and females, but quantitative immunocytochemistry revealed a 16% lower number of BDNF-immunoreactive neurons, and 19% lower CART-immunoreactivity in females compared to males. Considering the fact that Ucn1, CART and BDNF are co-expressed in the npEW with ERβ and their protein expression differs between males and females, we propose that the functioning of the npEW may contribute to the sex differences that exist in stress sensitivity.
AB - In mammals, females generally appear more vulnerable to stressors than males. The non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus (npEW) has been implicated in regulation of the stress response. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cocaine- and amphetamine-related transcript peptide (CART) are sex-specifically involved in the stress response too, and are present in the human and rat npEW. We hypothesized that male and female rats would differ in the expression of BDNF and CART in the npEW. Using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization we found that BDNF, CART and the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) are colocalized in the npEW. Q-RT-PCR showed no differences in CART and BDNF coding mRNAs between males and females, but quantitative immunocytochemistry revealed a 16% lower number of BDNF-immunoreactive neurons, and 19% lower CART-immunoreactivity in females compared to males. Considering the fact that Ucn1, CART and BDNF are co-expressed in the npEW with ERβ and their protein expression differs between males and females, we propose that the functioning of the npEW may contribute to the sex differences that exist in stress sensitivity.
KW - Immunocytochemistry
KW - In situ hybridization
KW - Major depression
KW - Quantitative RT-PCR
KW - Sex difference
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70450225240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70450225240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.09.009
DO - 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.09.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 19755135
AN - SCOPUS:70450225240
VL - 30
SP - 2268
EP - 2274
JO - Peptides
JF - Peptides
SN - 0196-9781
IS - 12
ER -