Oestrogen metabolism in adult rat's brain

In vitro incubation of pituitary, hypothalamus and cerebral cortex with [3H]oestrogens revealed that the oestrogens are actively metabolized by these tissues. The covalent binding of oestrone and oestradiol to acid precipitable proteins was observed. Pituitary from male rats exhibited higher covalent binding of oestrogens than females. The 2-hydroxylation was found to be greater than 16-hydroxylation. Furthermore, male pituitary exhibited higher 2-hydroxylation of oestrogens than females. No such sexual dimorphism was observed in 16-hydroxylation. C17-reduction was found to be greater than oxidation in these tissues. Furthermore, the C17-reduction in pituitary and hypothalamus from females was greater than males, which is in contradistinction to protein binding and 2-hydroxylation of oestrogens. In both male and female animals the pituitary was metabolically more active than hypothalamus and cortex. In addition, oestradiol was hydroxylated more than oestrone either at 2- or 16-positions. These results indicate that in central nervous system and pituitary the oestrogens are metabolized preferentially by 2-hydroxylation pathway and it is suggested that the in situ metabolism of oestrogens in neuroendocrine tissues may be important in the control of oestrogen effects on neuroendocrine function and sex behaviour.