Androgen receptor deficiency alters the arginine-vasopressin sexually dimorphic system in Tfm rats.
In rodents as well as in many other mammalian and non-mammalian species, the arginine-vasopressin (AVP) system includes a parvocellular sexually dimorphic portion located within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), the medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) and the lateral septum. In this system, males have more cells and denser projections than females, neurons show androgen and estrogen receptors, and gonadal hormones are required for the activation. However, the role of these hormones for the differentiation of the system is not clear. Previous studies performed on aromatase knockout mice suggested that estradiol is not necessary for the differentiation of the system, but it is important for its activation in adulthood. To elucidate the role of androgens on differentiation and functioning of AVP parvocellular system, we compared male and female rats with a non-functional mutation of androgen receptor (Tfm, testicular feminization mutation) to their control littermates. Our data show that the lack of a functional androgen receptor significantly decreases the expression of AVP immunoreactivity within the BST and MeA of male Tfm. Thus supporting the hypothesis that androgens, through the action of their receptor, should have a relevant role in the organization and modulation of the AVP parvocellular sexually dimorphic system.
['Allieri|F|F|', 'Spigolon|G|G|', 'Melcangi|R C|RC|', 'Collado|P|P|', 'Guillamón|A|A|', 'Gotti|S|S|', 'Panzica|G C|GC|']
D000704:Analysis of Variance D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome D000818:Animals D000831:Animals, Newborn D001127:Arginine Vasopressin D001921:Brain D004195:Disease Models, Animal D005260:Female D008297:Male D009154:Mutation D009474:Neurons D051381:Rats D011944:Receptors, Androgen D012727:Sex Characteristics
androgen receptor arginine-vasopressin Tfm Tfm rats AVP bed nucleus of the stria terminalis BST medial amygdaloid nucleus MeA lateral septum estrogen receptor estradiol testicular feminization mutation AFP AFP-KO AIS ANOVA AR AVP-ir DHT E(2) ED ER LS MPOA MeCP2 PBS PND T analysis of variance androgen insensitivity syndrome arginine vasopressin arginine-vasopressin immunoreactive dihydrotestosterone embryonic day medial preoptic area methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 phosphate-buffered saline postnatal day testosterone α-fetoprotein α-fetoprotein knockout mice