Autoradiographic determination of catechol estrogen binding sites in brain, pituitary and uterus.

The anatomical pattern of nuclear binding of 2-OH[6,9-3H]estradiol ([3H]2-OHE2) in brain, pituitary and uterus have been studied autoradiographically. Autoradiograms of forebrain, pituitary and uterus show nuclear concentrations of radioactivity in certain cells. This nuclear concentration is abolished when unlabelled 2-OHE2 or E2 was injected prior to the injection of [3H]2-OHE2. In the brain nuclear labelling is observed in the septal-preoptic region, in the anterior hypothalamic area, and in the central hypothalamic area. Some estrogen-sensitive nuclear groups, such as lateral septum and hippocampus, do not show accumulation of radioactivity. In the uterus, luminal and glandular epithelium, stromal cells and muscle cells are labelled. A comparison of the quantitative nuclear uptake of radioactivity and of the different time intervals after the injection of different doses shows similar uptake of nuclear radioactivity. This is comparable to data obtained after [6,7-3H]estradiol ([3H]E2) injection. The results provide clear evidence for nuclear binding of catechol estrogens of the same magnitude as [3H]E2 after in vivo treatment.