Sex differences in brain and plasma beta-endorphin content following testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol administration to gonadectomized rats.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_0192B4DEFC8E
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Sex differences in brain and plasma beta-endorphin content following testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol administration to gonadectomized rats.
Journal
Neuroendocrinology
Author(s)
Pluchino N., Ninni F., Casarosa E., Giannini A., Merlini S., Cubeddu A., Luisi M., Cela V., Genazzani A.R.
ISSN
1423-0194 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0028-3835
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2009
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
89
Number
4
Pages
411-423
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Comparative Study ; Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
The present study aims at evaluating the effect of a 2-week treatment with testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol valerate (E(2)V) on brain and plasma beta-endorphin (beta-END) concentrations in gonadectomized rats of both sexes.
Eight groups of female and 8 groups of male Wistar rats were included. For each sex, 1 group of gonad-intact and 1 group of gonadectomized rats were employed as controls (placebo). The other groups received subcutaneous T at the doses of 10 and 100 microg/kg/day (female rats) or 1 and 5 mg/kg/day (male rats). Subcutaneous DHT was administered at the doses of 1, 10, 100 microg/kg/day (female rats) or 0.1, 1 and 5 mg/kg/day (male rats). E(2)V was administered subcutaneously at 0.05 mg/kg/day. beta-END levels were measured in different brain areas and plasma.
Ovariectomy (OVX) induced a significant decrease in beta-END in all brain areas analyzed as well as in plasma. Orchidectomy (OCX) reduced opioid concentration in the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and neurointermediate lobe. In OVX rats, T replacement as well as E(2)V significantly increased beta-END concentration in all brain areas and in plasma. In the OCX group, T and E(2)V did not influence beta-END concentrations in different hypothalamic areas. However, they produced a significant rise in beta-END levels in the hypothalamus, neurointermediate lobe, anterior pituitary and plasma. Conversely, DHT replacement did not affect beta-END levels at any dose administered, either in males or females.
The sensitivity of the endogenous opiatergic system to T administration seems to be sex-related. This effect is particularly evident in the brains of female animals where this endogenous endorphin elicits a much greater response than it does in males that have undergone gonadal steroid depletion and subsequent T replacement.
Keywords
Animals, Brain/drug effects, Brain/metabolism, Dihydrotestosterone/administration & dosage, Estradiol/administration & dosage, Female, Male, Orchiectomy, Ovariectomy, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Sex Characteristics, Testosterone/administration & dosage, beta-Endorphin/blood, beta-Endorphin/metabolism
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
15/09/2023 12:24
Last modification date
27/09/2023 9:50
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