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Influence of gonadal steroids on brain corticosteroid receptors: a minireview

B B Turner1

  • 1Department of Physiology, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City 37614-0576, USA. Turner BB@washington.xtn.net

Neurochemical Research
|November 14, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone influence brain corticosteroid receptors (mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid). These hormones alter receptor gene expression and binding, impacting the stress response system.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Molecular Psychiatry
  • Hormone Action

Background:

  • Sex differences are observed in the brain's corticosteroid receptor systems.
  • Ovarian steroids play a role in modulating these receptor systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how ovarian steroids (estrogen, progesterone, androgens) affect the expression and function of brain mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR).
  • To understand the impact of these hormonal changes on the pituitary-adrenal axis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of receptor mRNA expression.
  • Measurement of receptor binding capacities and affinities.
  • Assessment of hormonal effects on transcription and binding parameters.

Main Results:

  • Estrogen reduces the abundance of both MR and GR mRNA.
  • Progesterone can antagonize estrogen's effects and induce MR transcription.
  • Estrogen more reliably decreases MR binding than GR binding.
  • Progesterone has high affinity for MR, reducing its affinity for corticoids.
  • Androgens appear to regulate receptor transcription but not binding capacity.
  • Estrogen and androgens show greater potency in regulating pituitary-adrenal function than predicted by receptor binding alone.

Conclusions:

  • Ovarian steroids significantly modulate brain corticosteroid receptor systems at both transcriptional and binding levels.
  • Hormonal regulation of these receptors is complex, involving interactions between different steroids.
  • These neuroendocrine mechanisms are crucial for understanding sex differences in stress response and related functions.

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