Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, United States.
Front Neuroendocrinol. 2012 Oct;33(4):364-75. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2012.08.001. Epub 2012 Aug 30.
Estradiol plays a pivotal role in the control of GnRH neuronal function, hence female reproduction. A series of recent studies in our laboratory indicate that rapid excitatory actions of estradiol directly modify GnRH neuronal activity in primate GnRH neurons through GPR30 and STX-sensitive receptors. Similar rapid direct actions of estradiol through estrogen receptor beta are also described in mouse GnRH neurons. In this review, we propose two novel hypotheses as a possible physiological role of estradiol in primates. First, while ovarian estradiol initiates the preovulatory GnRH surge through interneurons expressing estrogen receptor alpha, rapid direct membrane-initiated action of estradiol may play a role in sustaining GnRH surge release for many hours. Second, locally produced neuroestrogens may contribute to pulsatile GnRH release. Either way, estradiol synthesized in interneurons in the hypothalamus may play a significant role in the control of the GnRH surge and/or pulsatility of GnRH release.
雌二醇在 GnRH 神经元功能的控制中起着关键作用，因此也与女性生殖有关。我们实验室最近的一系列研究表明，雌二醇的快速兴奋作用通过 GPR30 和 STX 敏感受体直接调节灵长类 GnRH 神经元的活性。在小鼠 GnRH 神经元中也描述了类似的雌二醇通过雌激素受体β的快速直接作用。在这篇综述中，我们提出了两个新的假设，作为雌二醇在灵长类动物中可能的生理作用。首先，虽然卵巢雌二醇通过表达雌激素受体α的中间神经元启动促性腺激素释放激素的促排卵激增，但雌二醇的快速直接膜起始作用可能在维持促性腺激素释放激素激增释放数小时中发挥作用。其次，局部产生的神经雌激素可能有助于促性腺激素释放激素的脉冲式释放。无论哪种方式，在下丘脑中间神经元中合成的雌二醇可能在控制 GnRH 激增和/或 GnRH 释放的脉冲性方面发挥重要作用。
