Immunocytochemical evidence for a progesterone receptor in neurons and glial cells of the rat spinal cord.

LABOMBARDA, F; GENOUUN R; GONZALEZ S; RIOG P; LIMA A; SCHUMACHER M; DE NICOLA A

NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Año: 2000 vol. 288 p. 29 - 32

0304-3940

Using the KC 146 monoclonal antibody recognizing the B-form of the progesterone receptor (PR) and immunocytochemicaltechniques, we investigated if PR-immunoreactive cells are present in the rat spinal cord. Neurons from ventralhorn Lamina IX, glial cells in gray and white matter and ependymal cells were PR-positive. Evidence for estrogeninducibilityof PR in ovariectomized rats was not observed. There were no signi®cant gender differences in neuronalPR immunostaining intensity in the spinal cord, measured by computerized image analysis. In pituitary and uterus fromestrogenized female rats, PR showed a strict nuclear localization, whereas in neurons and glial cells of the spinal cord, PRlocalized in cytoplasm and/or nucleus and in some cell processes. This receptor may be implicated in some of thebiological effects of progesterone described in the spinal cord.