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Published on: July 13, 2014
Ethanol withdrawal reduces cerebellar parvalbumin expression in a manner reversed by estrogens
Mridula Rewal1, Yi Wen, James W Simpkins
1Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. mrewal@hsc.unt.edu
Abstract:
Parvalbumin (PA) is a calcium-binding protein that has been implicated in neuroprotection. We examined whether the stimulus effect of ethanol withdrawal (EW) alters the expression of PA in a manner that is prevented by 17beta-estradiol (E2). Ovariectomized rats implanted with E2 (EW/E2) or oil (EW/Oil) pellets received chronic ethanol (7.5%, w/v, 5 weeks) or control dextrin diets (Dex/Oil). At 24h of EW, rats were tested for overt EW signs, and the cerebellum was prepared for immunoblotting and immunohistological assessment for PA. The EW/Oil group showed a higher EW sign score, a lower PA expression, and fewer PA-positive Purkinje neurons than the dextrin control group. In the EW/E2 group, EW sign scores, PA expression, and PA-positive Purkinje neurons were not significantly different from those in the control dextrin group. These data suggest that E2 treatment protects against the PA-suppression associated with EW toxicity.
