Progesterone gene expression

Intracellular steroid receptors, which alter gene expression, exist for corticosteroids, oestrogens and progesterone in the brain, as in the periphery but they cannot account for the relatively rapid depression of CNS function induced by some steroids. This was explained when Harrison and Simmonds (1984) discovered that alphaxalone (the steroid anaesthetic) potentiated the duration of GABA-induced currents at the GABAa receptor in slices of rat cuneate nucleus just like the barbiturates (Fig. 13.6). Of the... 

Biggio, F., Gorini, G., Caria, S., Murru, L., Mostallino, M. C., Sanna, E., and Follesa, P. (2006). Plastic neuronal changes in GABA(A) receptor gene expression induced by progesterone metabolites In vitro molecular and functional studies. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 84, 545-554. 

Romano GJ, Mobbs CV, Howells RD, Pfaff DW (1989) Estrogen regulation of proenkephain gene-expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus of the rat - temporal quaUties and synergism with progesterone. Mol Brain Res 5 51-58... 

Just as prokaryotes can adjust their patterns of gene expression in response to chemicals in their environment, eukaryotes have many systems for responding to specific molecules with which they come in contact. We first consider a system that detects and responds to estrogens. Synthesized and released by the ovaries, estrogens, such as estrone, are cholesterol-derived, steroid hormones (Section 26.4). They are required for the development of female secondary sex characteristics and, along with progesterone, participate in the ovarian cycle. 

The steroid receptor superfamily comprises the glucocorticoid (GR), progesterone (PR), mineralocorticoid (MR), androgen (AR), thyroid hormone (TR),and vitamin Dg (VDR) receptors (60). These receptors bind to steroid hormones and are translocated to the nucleus where they bind to hormone responsive elements on DNA promoter regions to alter gene expression. While steroids are very effective anti-inflammatory agents, they have a multiplicity of serious side effects that limit their full use. 

Lacasa, D., Le Liepvre, X., Ferre, P. and Dugail, I., Progesterone stimulates adipocyte determination and differentiation 1/sterol regulatory element-binding protein Ic gene expression, potential mechanism for the lipogenic effect of progesterone in adipose tissue, J Biol Chem 276 (2001) 11512-11516. 

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