Melcangi R C, Magnaghi V, Cavarretta I, Riva M A, Piva F, Martini L
Department of Endocrinology, University of Milano, Italy.
Exp Gerontol. 1998 Nov-Dec;33(7-8):827-36. doi: 10.1016/s0531-5565(98)00020-5.
The present article summarizes our data regarding: (a) the effect of sex steroids on the expression of a specific astrocytic marker in glial cell cultures (GFAP); (b) the effects of aging on two markers of the peripheral myelin (glycoprotein Po and the myelin basic protein, MBP); (c) the possible modification of the damaging effects of aging on these two markers by the in vivo administration of progesterone and its derivatives; and, finally, (d) the effect of progesterone derivatives on the gene expression of Po in cultures of rat Schwann cells. The data obtained have indicated that progesterone and its 5 alpha-reduced metabolites may play an important role in the control of gene expression of GFAP and Po, respectively, in type 1 astrocytes and Schwann cells. It has also been found that the gene expression of Po and MBP is dramatically decreased in the myelin of the sciatic nerve of aged male rats and that the aged-linked decrease of the gene expression of Po is partially reversible with steroid treatment.
(a) 性类固醇对神经胶质细胞培养物中特定星形胶质细胞标志物（胶质纤维酸性蛋白，GFAP）表达的影响；(b) 衰老对两种外周髓鞘标志物（糖蛋白Po和髓鞘碱性蛋白，MBP）的影响；(c) 通过体内给予孕酮及其衍生物，对衰老对这两种标志物的损伤作用可能产生的改变；最后，(d) 孕酮衍生物对大鼠雪旺细胞培养物中Po基因表达的影响。所获得的数据表明，孕酮及其5α-还原代谢产物可能分别在1型星形胶质细胞和雪旺细胞中对GFAP和Po的基因表达控制中发挥重要作用。还发现，老年雄性大鼠坐骨神经髓鞘中Po和MBP的基因表达显著降低，并且Po基因表达的衰老相关降低在类固醇治疗后部分可逆。
