Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ghrelin on the concentrations of estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) in serum and the mRNA expression of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) and progesterone receptor (PRA+B) in ovary in rats during estrous cycle. Adult female Sprague Dawley rats were intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) injected with 3 nmol ghrelin during the estrous cycle, and sacrificed 15 min later. Blood samples and ovaries were collected. The concentrations of serum E2 and P4 were measured by radioimmunoassay, while the amount of ERβ and PRA+B mRNA was assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. Our studies showed that ghrelin could significantly reduce the serum concentration of E2 throughout the estrous cycle (P < 0.05), the serum level of P4 (P < 0.05), and the amount of ERβ mRNA during metestrus (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the amount of PRA+B mRNA was only reduced during diestrus (P < 0.05). Overall, our present findings provide the first evidence that i.c.v. injection of ghrelin could reduce the serum concentration of E2 and P4 and the level of ERβ and PRA+B mRNA expression, supporting the role of ghrelin in reproduction.
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