Suguru Kawato
3-8- 1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902
Japan
Research Article
Neurosteroid Synthesis in Adult Female Rat Hippocampus, Including Androgens and Allopregnanolone
Author(s): Yasushi Hojo, Masahiro Okamoto, Asami Kato, Shimpei Higo, Fusako Sakai, Hideaki Soya, Takeshi Yamazaki and Suguru KawatoYasushi Hojo, Masahiro Okamoto, Asami Kato, Shimpei Higo, Fusako Sakai, Hideaki Soya, Takeshi Yamazaki and Suguru Kawato
Female rat hippocampus synthesizes significant amount of estrogens, including progesterone (PROG), estrone and estradiol (E2). Hippocampal level of PROG and E2 are considerably higher than those in plasma. Female hippocampal estrogens play a significant role in the fluctuation of dendritic spine density across the estrous cycle. Here we extend the study to the investigation of female androgens, including testosterone (T) and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in the female rat hippocampus, since female androgens had been largely unknown. By combination of mass-spectrometric analysis with HPLC-purification and picolinoyl-derivatization of sex steroids, we determined the accurate concentration
of T and DHT in the hippocampus. The levels of T and DHT in female hippocampus at Proestrus were approximately 1.1 nM and 0.6 nM, respectively, suggesting a significant synthesis of T and DHT. The .. View More»
