Estradiol (E2)- and tamoxifen (Tmx)-bound ER-alpha (ERα) interact differentially with histone deacetylases 1 and 3 (HDACs 1 and 3).

Although ERα activation properties have been intensively studied, this is not the case for their repressive properties. In this report, the ERα ligand binding domain (LBD) is shown to interact both with a deacetylase function and with HDAC1 and HDAC3. Ligands do not affect binding to the deacetylase activity or to HDAC1.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 1 in the median preoptic nucleus contributes to chronic intermittent hypoxia hypertension.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Chronic intermittent hypoxia is used to model the arterial hypoxemia seen in sleep apnea patients and is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity and a sustained diurnal increase in blood pressure. The renin angiotensin system has been associated with hypertension seen in chronic intermittent hypoxia.

ANG II receptor subtype 1a gene knockdown in the subfornical organ prevents increased drinking behavior in bile duct-ligated rats.

Bile duct ligation (BDL) causes congestive liver failure that initiates hemodynamic changes, resulting in dilutional hyponatremia due to increased water intake and vasopressin release. This project tested the hypothesis that angiotensin signaling at the subfornical organ (SFO) augments drinking behavior in BDL rats. A genetically modified adeno-associated virus containing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) for ANG II receptor subtype 1a (AT1aR) gene was microinjected into the SFO of rats to knock down expression.

Differential regulation of TRPC4 in the vasopressin magnocellular system by water deprivation and hepatic cirrhosis in the rat.

Transient receptor potential canonical subtype 4 (TRPC4) is expressed in the magnocellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus. In this study, the regulation of TRPC4 expression was investigated in water deprivation and hepatic cirrhosis. We used laser capture microdissection technique for precise dissection of pure AVP cell population in the PVN and SON followed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, and immunodetection techniques by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence.

Androgenic anabolic steroid exposure during adolescence: ramifications for brain development and behavior.

This article is part of a Special Issue "Puberty and Adolescence". Puberty is a critical period for brain maturation that is highly dependent on gonadal sex hormones. Modifications in the gonadal steroid environment, via the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), have been shown to affect brain development and behavior.

Intracerebroventricular losartan infusion modulates angiotensin II type 1 receptor expression in the subfornical organ and drinking behaviour in bile-duct-ligated rats.

Bile duct ligation (BDL) causes congestive liver failure that initiates haemodynamic changes, including peripheral vasodilatation and generalized oedema. Peripheral vasodilatation is hypothesized to activate compensatory mechanisms, including increased drinking behaviour and neurohumoral activation. This study tested the hypothesis that changes in the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)R) mRNA and protein in the lamina terminalis are associated with BDL-induced hyposmolality in the rat.

ΔFosB in the supraoptic nucleus contributes to hyponatremia in rats with cirrhosis.

Bile duct ligation (BDL), a model of hepatic cirrhosis, is associated with dilutional hyponatremia and inappropriate vasopressin release. ΔFosB staining was significantly increased in vasopressin and oxytocin magnocellular neurosecretory cells in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of BDL rats. We tested the role of SON ΔFosB in fluid retention following BDL by injecting the SON (n = 10) with 400 nl of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing ΔJunD (a dominant negative construct for ΔFosB) plus green fluorescent protein (GFP) (AAV-GFP-ΔJunD).

Androgen receptors, sex behavior, and aggression.

Androgens are intricately involved in reproductive and aggressive behaviors, but the role of the androgen receptor in mediating these behaviors is less defined. Further, activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can influence each other at the level of the androgen receptor. Knowledge of the mechanisms for androgens' effects on behaviors through the androgen receptor will guide future studies in elucidating male reproductive and aggressive behavior repertoires.

Region-specific changes in transient receptor potential vanilloid channel expression in the vasopressin magnocellular system in hepatic cirrhosis-induced hyponatraemia.

The present study aimed to measure the expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in the magnocellular neurones of the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) in an animal model of hepatic cirrhosis associated with inappropriate vasopressin (AVP) release. In these studies, we used chronic bile duct ligation (BDL) in the rat, which is a commonly used model of hepatic cirrhosis, associated with elevated plasma AVP. The present study tested the hypothesis that changes in TRP vanilloid (TRPV) channel expression may be related to inappropriate AVP release in BDL rats.

Cloning and characterization of two alleles of the murine extracellular superoxide dismutase gene.

We have recently documented the existence of a second allele of ecSOD in mice. Thus far, this allele was only found in the 129P3/J strain. It is characterized by two point mutations leading to amino acid changes as well as a 10 bp deletion from the 3' UTR.

2B4(CD244)-mediated activation of NK cells reduces metastases of B16F10 melanoma in mice.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are a third population of lymphocytes that can kill certain tumor cells. This killing is regulated by signals received through activating and inhibitory receptors. 2B4 (CD244), a member of the CD2 subset of Immunoglobulin superfamily, was identified as an activating receptor on NK cells.