PMID- 19094085
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20090203
LR  - 20211020
IS  - 1365-2826 (Electronic)
IS  - 0953-8194 (Print)
IS  - 0953-8194 (Linking)
VI  - 20
IP  - 12
DP  - 2008 Dec
TI  - Changes in prodynorphin gene expression and neuronal morphology in the 
      hypothalamus of postmenopausal women.
PG  - 1376-81
LID - 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01796.x [doi]
AB  - Human menopause is characterised by ovarian failure, gonadotrophin hypersecretion 
      and hypertrophy of neurones expressing neurokinin B (NKB), kisspeptin (KiSS)-1 
      and oestrogen receptor (ER) alpha gene transcripts within the hypothalamic 
      infundibular (arcuate) nucleus. In the arcuate nucleus of experimental animals, 
      dynorphin, an opioid peptide, is colocalised with NKB, kisspeptin, ER alpha and 
      progesterone receptors. Moreover, ovariectomy decreases the expression of 
      prodynorphin gene transcripts in the arcuate nucleus of the ewe. Therefore, we 
      hypothesised that the hypertrophied neurones in the infundibular nucleus of 
      postmenopausal women would express prodynorphin mRNA and that menopause would be 
      accompanied by changes in prodynorphin gene transcripts. In the present study, in 
      situ hybridisation was performed on hypothalamic sections from premenopausal and 
      postmenopausal women using a radiolabelled cDNA probe targeted to prodynorphin 
      mRNA. Autoradiography and computer-assisted microscopy were used to map and count 
      labelled neurones, measure neurone size and compare prodynorphin gene expression 
      between premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Neurones expressing dynorphin 
      mRNA in the infundibular nucleus of the postmenopausal women were larger and 
      exhibited hypertrophied morphological features. Moreover, there were fewer 
      neurones labelled with the prodynorphin probe in the infundibular nucleus of the 
      postmenopausal group compared to the premenopausal group. The number of dynorphin 
      mRNA-expressing neurones was also reduced in the medial preoptic/anterior 
      hypothalamic area of postmenopausal women without changes in cell size. No 
      differences in cell number or size of dynorphin mRNA-expressing neurones were 
      observed in any other hypothalamic region. Previous studies using animal models 
      provide strong evidence that the changes in prodynorphin neuronal size and gene 
      expression in postmenopausal women are secondary to the ovarian failure of 
      menopause. Given the inhibitory effect of dynorphin on the reproductive axis, 
      decreased dynorphin gene expression could play a role in the elevation in 
      luteinising hormone secretion that occurs in postmenopausal women.
FAU - Rometo, A M
AU  - Rometo AM
AD  - Department of Pathology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 
      85724, USA.
FAU - Rance, N E
AU  - Rance NE
LA  - eng
GR  - T32 AG007434/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R56 AG009214-15A1/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R56 AG009214/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R01 AG009214-13/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R01 AG009214/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R01 AG-09214/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - R01 AG009214-14/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
PL  - United States
TA  - J Neuroendocrinol
JT  - Journal of neuroendocrinology
JID - 8913461
RN  - 0 (Enkephalins)
RN  - 0 (Protein Precursors)
RN  - 93443-35-7 (preproenkephalin)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - Animals
MH  - Autoradiography
MH  - Cell Shape
MH  - Enkephalins/*genetics/metabolism
MH  - Female
MH  - *Gene Expression
MH  - Humans
MH  - Hypothalamus/*cytology/metabolism
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - *Neurons/cytology/physiology
MH  - Postmenopause/*physiology
MH  - Protein Precursors/*genetics/metabolism
MH  - Young Adult
PMC - PMC2893873
MID - NIHMS211657
EDAT- 2008/12/20 09:00
MHDA- 2009/02/04 09:00
PMCR- 2010/06/29
CRDT- 2008/12/20 09:00
PHST- 2008/12/20 09:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2008/12/20 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2009/02/04 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2010/06/29 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - JNE1796 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01796.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Neuroendocrinol. 2008 Dec;20(12):1376-81. doi: 
      10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01796.x.