Effects of estrogen receptor alpha and beta gene deletion on estrogenic induction of progesterone receptors in the locus coeruleus in female mice.

Locus coeruleus (LC) is involved in the LHRH regulation by gonadal steroids. We investigated the expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors (PR; ER) in LC neurons of ERalpha (alphaERKO) or ERbeta (betaERKO) knockout mice, and their wild-type (alphaWT and betaWT). Immunocytochemical studies showed that LC expresses PR and both ERs, although ERbeta was more abundant. Estradiol benzoate (EB) decreased ERalpha-positive cells in WT and betaERKO mice, and progesterone caused a further reduction, whereas none of the steroids influenced ERbeta expression. ERbeta deletion increased ERalpha while ERalpha deletion did not alter ERbeta expression. In both WT mice, EB increased PR expression, which was diminished by progesterone. These steroid effects were also observed in alphaERKO animals but to a lesser extent, suggesting that ERalpha is partially responsible for the estrogenic induction of PR in LC. Steroid effects on PR in betaERKO mice were similar to those in the alphaERKO but to a lesser extent, probably because PR expression was already high in the oil-treated group. This expression seems to be specific of LC neurons, since it was not observed in other areas studied, the preoptic area and ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus. These findings show that LC in mice expresses alphaER, betaER, and PR, and that a balance between them may be critical for the physiological control of reproductive function.