Dopaminergic agonists increase [3H]estradiol binding in hypothalamus of female rats, but not of males.

Specific nuclear binding of [3H]estradiol in the hypothalamus was increased by acute dopaminergic treatment in female, but not in male, gonadectomized-adrenalectomized rats. In the female this increase could be blocked by the dopaminergic receptor blocker perphenazine and was noted from 1 to 3 hours after injection of [3H]estradiol. Binding was not different in male and female rats in the absence of dopaminergic treatment. These results suggest that acute dopaminergic stimulation may modulate estradiol binding in neural areas known to be important in endocrine function.