The Flinders Sensitive Line rats, a genetic model of depression, show abnormal serotonin receptor mRNA expression in the brain that is reversed by 17β-estradiol

Marie K. Österlund, David H. Overstreet, Yasmin L. Hurd

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

79 Scopus citations

Abstract

The possible link between estrogen and serotonin (5-HT) in depression was investigated using a genetic animal model of depression, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats, in comparison to control Flinders Resistant Line rats. The mRNA levels of the estrogen receptor (ER) α and β subtypes and the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptors were analyzed in several limbic-related areas of ovariectomized FSL and FRL rats treated with 17β-estradiol (0.15 μg/g) or vehicle. The FSL animals were shown to express significantly lower levels of the 5-HT(2A) receptor transcripts in the perirhinal cortex, piriform cortex, and medial anterodorsal amygdala and higher levels in the CA 2-3 region of the hippocampus. The only significant difference between the rat lines in ER mRNA expression was found in the medial posterodorsal amygdala, where the FSL rats showed lower ERα expression levels. Overall, estradiol treatment increased 5-HT(2A) and decreased 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA levels in several of the examined regions of both lines. Thus, in many areas, estradiol was found to regulate the 5-HT receptor mRNA expression in the opposite direction to the alterations found in the FSL rats. These findings further support the implication of 5-HT receptors, in particular the 5-HT(2A) subtype, in the etiology of affective disorders. Moreover, the ability of estradiol to regulate the expression of the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor genes might account for the reported influence of gonadal hormones in mood and depression. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)158-166
Number of pages9
JournalMolecular Brain Research
Volume74
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Dec 1999
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Affective disorder
  • Estrogen
  • In situ hybridization
  • Limbic system
  • mRNA

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