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Non-nuclear estrogen receptor β and α in the hippocampus of male and female rats
Katarzyna Kalita,
Sylwia Szymczak,
Leszek Kaczmarek,
Katarzyna Kalita
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
K.K. and S.S. contributed equally to this work.
Search for more papers by this authorSylwia Szymczak
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
K.K. and S.S. contributed equally to this work.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Leszek Kaczmarek
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Nencki Institute, Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandSearch for more papers by this authorKatarzyna Kalita,
Sylwia Szymczak,
Leszek Kaczmarek,
Katarzyna Kalita
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
K.K. and S.S. contributed equally to this work.
Search for more papers by this authorSylwia Szymczak
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
K.K. and S.S. contributed equally to this work.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Leszek Kaczmarek
Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Nencki Institute, Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandSearch for more papers by this authorAbstract
Estrogens play important roles in the brain, acting through two receptor types, ERα and ERβ, both recognized as transcription factors. In this study, we investigated the ERβ mRNA and protein expression in the male and female rat brain, focusing on the hippocampus, and comparing with well-known ERα expression patterns. Extranuclear ERβ localization, as shown by light microscopic immunocytochemistry and tissue fractionation experiments, was noted in the hippocampus, whereas nuclear ERβ was present in the amygdala. Despite these marked differences in subcellular localizations, similar expression levels of ERβ proteins as well as the profile of ERβ mRNA isoforms were observed in the two brain structures. ERα was localized to the nucleus more so than ERβ, yet not without an extranuclear component. Our results suggest that cytoplasmic estrogen receptors may play an important role in hippocampal physiology. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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