Erbin and ErbB2 play roles in the sexual differentiation of the song system nucleus HVC in bengalese finches (Lonchura Striata var. domestica).

Song control nuclei have distinct sexual differences in songbirds. However, the mechanism that underlies the sexual differentiation of song nuclei is still not well understood. Using a combination of anatomical, pharmacological, genetic, and behavioral approaches, the present study investigated the role of erbb2 (a homolog of the avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2) and the erbb2-interacting gene, erbin, in the sexual differentiation of the song nucleus HVC in the Bengalese finch.

17β-estradiol regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes in myocardial cells by increasing Nrf2 translocation.

The transcription factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important regulator against the process of oxidative stress. It can effectively scavenge oxygen-free radicals within cells to maintain homeostasis. In this study, we cultured primary myocardial cells, established the hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model to simulate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, and examined effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the quantitative changes of Nrf2 in cytosolic and nuclear extracts, the mRNA expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), glutathione S transferase (GST), and glutamate cysteine ligase amide (GCL) of each model group by Western blot assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, to investigate the effects of E2 against H/R/ injury in cultured myocardial cells.