Background: Sex steroids, estrogens and androgens, exert a number of effects on the morphological, biochemical and electrophysiological properties of the brain during its development. These effects are mediated through specific steroid receptors, estrogen receptor α (ERα), estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and androgen receptor (AR). Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the expression of sex steroid receptors and correlate it to steriodogenesis during postnatal development of the brain. Methods: In the present study, expression of sex steroid hormone receptors and its correlation to 3β-hydroxydehydrogenase (3β-HSD) enzyme activity were examined in the mouse cerebral cortex at postnatal days (PD) 0, 7, 15, 30 and 45. Results: Immunofluorescence results revealed that the expression of both androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ) was lowest at PD0 and highest at PD45 in the cerebral cortex of male and female mice and the increase was evident from PD15. In parallel, the activity of 3-HSD enzyme continually decreased from PD0 to PD45 with no significant difference between male and female. Thus the expression of AR and ER is inversely related to 3-HSD activity in mouse cerebral cortex during postnatal development. Conclusion: These findings suggest the involvement of sex steroid hormone receptors in differentiation and establishment of neural circuitry during postnatal development of the brain.

doi : 10.5214/ans.0972.7531.2009.160405

Competing interests: None.  Source of Funding: CSIR, DBT, DST

Received Date: 27 Aug 2009     Revised Date: 30 Sept 2009     Accepted Date: 12 Oct 2009