RGD Reference Report - Estrogen receptor subtypes alpha and beta contribute to neuroprotection and increased Bcl-2 expression in primary hippocampal neurons. - Rat Genome Database

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Estrogen receptor subtypes alpha and beta contribute to neuroprotection and increased Bcl-2 expression in primary hippocampal neurons.

Authors: Zhao, L  Wu, TW  Brinton, RD 
Citation: Zhao L, etal., Brain Res. 2004 Jun 4;1010(1-2):22-34.
RGD ID: 1582270
Pubmed: PMID:15126114   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.brainres.2004.02.066   (Journal Full-text)

Estrogen receptor (ER) mediated neuroprotection has been demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo model systems. However, the relative contribution by either ER subtype, ERalpha or ERbeta, to estrogen-induced neuroprotection remains unresolved. To address this question, we investigated the impact of selective ER agonists for either ERalpha, PPT, or ERbeta, DPN, to prevent neurodegeneration in cultured hippocampal neurons exposed to excitotoxic glutamate. Using three indicators of neuronal viability and survival, we demonstrated that both the ERalpha selective agonist PPT and the ERbeta selective agonist DPN protected hippocampal neurons against glutamate-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner, with the maximal response occurring at 100 pM. Further analyses showed that both PPT and DPN enhanced Bcl-2 expression in hippocampal neurons, with an efficacy comparable to their neuroprotective capacity. Collectively, the present data indicate that activation of either ERalpha or ERbeta can promote neuroprotection in hippocampal neurons, suggesting that both receptor subtypes could be involved in estrogen neuroprotection. As ERbeta is highly expressed in the brain and has little or no expression in the breast or uterus, discovery and design of ERbeta selective molecules could provide a strategy for activating the beneficial effects of estrogen in the brain without activating untoward effects of estrogen in reproductive organs.

Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Biological Process
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
negative regulation of neuron apoptotic process  IDA 1582270; 1582270 RGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Esr1  (estrogen receptor 1)
Esr2  (estrogen receptor 2)


Additional Information