Kainic Acid-Induced Cell Proliferation in the Striatum Is Not Estrogen Dependent

摘要

In the past decade it has become increasingly clear that the adult central nervous system has the ability to generate new neuronal cells. In particular, the sub-granular layer (SGL) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ) lining the lateral ventricles appear to be specially suited for this purpose. In these areas neurogenesis is observed due to the persistence of neuronal progenitors throughout life. The neuroprotective and neurogenic properties of estrogen have been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. In this study we examined the role of estradiol benzoate (0, 25, and 100 |ng per rat) in neuronal proliferation in the kainic acid (KA) rat model of Huntington's disease. Cell proliferation and phenotype of newborn cells wereassessed using antibodies against bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), doublecortin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the adult female rat striatum, SVZ of the lateral ventricle, and corpus callosum, at different antero-posterior levels. The statistical analysis for the number of BrdU-positive cells in these cerebral regions showed that estradiol did not increase cellular proliferation beyond that induced by the KA lesion and that ovariectomy did not inhibit the proliferative response.