Expression of α4 and α7 nicotinic receptors in the brainstem of female rabbits after coitus

Abstract

Coital signaling in the female rabbit involves sequential events in the brainstem and hypothalamus, resulting in a massive release of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that peaks within 1–2 h after mating. The neural connections between coitus and GnRH release involves norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (ACh) since administration of antagonists against NE (dibenamine or phentolamine) or ACh (atropine, α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX) or scopolamine) blocks or attenuates ovulating events. Moreover, hypothalamic NE release and brainstem tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, the rate-limiting enzyme for NE synthesis) expression in the noradrenergic areas increase prior to, or in concert with, the preovulatory GnRH surge. How ACh is involved in the control of ovulation in the rabbit is lesser known. In the present study, the number of brainstem neurons expressing TH, α4 and α7 subunits of the nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) before and after coitus was determined by immunocytochemistry. Compared to non-mated female rabbits, the number of α4, α7 and TH single-labeled neurons as well as α4/TH and α7/TH double-labeled neurons increased in the A1, A2 and A6 brainstem noradrenergic areas at 1 h, but not 2 h, after coitus. The results suggest that the participation of ACh in the control of coitus-induced ovulation may include activation of α4β2 and α7 nAChRs in neurons within or adjacent to the brainstem noradrenergic areas in female rabbits.