Abstract
This study examines NMDAR1 receptor subunit mRNA expression and [125I]MK-801 binding in hypothalamic and limbic nuclei of intact, castrate and castrate-dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP)-treated male rats. In intact rats, the highest levels of NMDAR1 mRNA were observed in the supraoptic, suprachiasmatic, ventromedial and arcuate nuclei. Low levels of hybridization were observed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, lateral preoptic area, lateral hypothalamic area and lateral septum. In castrated rats both NMDAR1 mRNA and [125I]MK-801 binding are significantly decreased in the lateral septum compared to castrate rats treated with DHTP, a non-aromatizable androgen. NMDAR1 mRNA was also significantly decreased in the supraoptic nucleus of castrate rats when compared to castrate rats treated with DHTP. These data suggest that androgens may modulate NMDA receptor function in some parts of the central nervous system.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 55-60 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Molecular Brain Research |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1995 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank Lori Wellman for her assistancew ith photographayn d Vicki King and Joan Hautman for their assistancew ith statisticala nalysiso f the data. This work was supportedb y NIH Grants DA 06687 (A.J.B.), DE 06682 (A.J.B.), NS 31318 (A.J.B.), AA08696( R.J.H.) and NSF BNS 9109226(R .J.H.).
Keywords
- Androgen
- Castration
- Excitatory amino acid
- Glutamate
- Hypothalamus
- Lateral septum
- MK-801
- NMDA
- NMDAR1
- Supraoptic nucleus
- mRNA