SEX‐SPECIFIC HORMONES PRODUCED DURING PROESTROUS AND ESTROUS EXERT A REGULATORY EFFECT ON NESFATIN‐1 MRNA LEVELS AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTION IN FEMALE CYCLING RATS

Abstract

Nesfatin‐1/NUCB2 is a protein derived from the nucleobindin‐2 precursor originally localized in different appetite controlling areas of the brain, such as the hypothalamic PVN, ARC, SON, LHA and NTS, and is thought to be regulated in a sex‐specific manner. It has recently been suggested that nesfatin‐1 might play an important metabolic role during pregnancy and fetal development (2) and the expression of nesfatin‐1/NUCB2 is regulated by progesterone and 17b‐estradiol in mouse pituitary gland (1). We investigated Nesfatin‐1 mRNA expression in female, cycling rats across the estrous cycle and observed a decrease in Nesfatin‐1 mRNA during Proestrous, corresponding to a period of increased levels of Estradiol. We therefore hypothesized that the ability of centrally administered Nesfatin‐1 to raise mean arterial pressure (MAP) in conscious, cycling, freely moving female rats would no longer be seen during the Proestrous day of the estrous cycle. We, therefore, monitored MAP changes across estrous cycle with central Nesfatin‐1 administration. We found that the ability of Nesfatin‐1 to increase MAP is no longer prevalent in female, cycling rats on proestrous and estrous days. We then monitored MAP changes in ovariectomized females with and without estradiol supplementation. We found that the ability of Nesfatin‐1 to increase MAP is no longer prevalent in female rats that were pretreated with estradiol, suggesting that sex‐specific hormones produced during proestrous and estrous exert a regulatory effect on the Nesfatin‐1 mRNA levels and autonomic function.Support or Funding InformationThis work was funded through a President's Research Fund grant (Saint Louis University) to GLCY. WKS and GLCY are supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, HL‐121456This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.