Activation of erk1/2 and axogenesis induced by estradiol depend on different calcium pools in male rat hypothalamic neurons in vitro

Abstract

Estrogens generate a wide diversity of rapid “non-classical” effects which occur in a range from some seconds to few minutes (Arevalo et al., 2012), including the triggering of Ca2+ signals (Wong et al., 2012) and the activation of several signaling pathways such as the protein kinase C (PKC) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) cascades (Wu et al., 2005). Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that 17β-estradiol (E2) induces axonal growth through ERK1/2 activation in hypothalamic neurons of male embryos of 16 days of gestation (E16; Gorosito & Cambiasso, 2008). Both axogenesis and ERK1/2 activation mediated by the hormone depend on Ca2+ and Ca2+- dependent PKC isoforms (Gorosito & Cambiasso, 2008).In the present study we investigate the Ca2+ pools that participate in the activation of ERK1/2 and axogenesis by E2.