Sex differences in brain aromatase activity: genomic and non-genomic controls

in Frontiers in Neuroendocrine Science (in press)

A validated microfluidics-based LC-chip-MS/MS method for the quantitation of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in rat serum

in Electrophoresis (2012)

Modulation of steroid action: Importance of coactivators

Scientific conference (2012)

Human and Quail Aromatase Activity Is Rapidly and Reversibly Inhibited by Phosphorylating Conditions

in Endocrinology (2011), 152(11), 4199-210

Besides their slow genomic actions, estrogens also induce rapid physiological responses. To be functionally relevant, these effects must be associated with rapid changes in local concentrations of ... [more ▼]

Besides their slow genomic actions, estrogens also induce rapid physiological responses. To be functionally relevant, these effects must be associated with rapid changes in local concentrations of estrogens. Rapid changes in aromatase activity (AA) controlled by calcium-dependent phosphorylations of the enzyme can alter in a rapid manner local estrogen concentrations, but so far this mechanism was identified only in the avian (quail) brain. We show here that AA is also rapidly down-regulated by phosphorylating conditions in quail ovary homogenates and in various cell lines transfected with human aromatase (HEK 293, Neuro2A, and C6). Enzymatic activity was also rapidly inhibited after depolarization of aromatase-expressing HEK 293 cells with 100 mm KCl, and activity was fully restored when cells returned to control conditions. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the reduction of enzymatic activity is not due to protein degradation. We next investigated by site-directed mutagenesis the potential implication in the control of AA of specific aromatase residues identified by bioinformatic analysis. Mutation of the amino acids S118, S247, S267, T462, T493, or S497 to alanine, alone or in combination, did not block the rapid inhibition of enzymatic activity induced by phosphorylating conditions, but basal AA was markedly decreased in the S118A mutant. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the rapid inhibition of AA is a widespread and fully reversible process and that phosphorylation of specific residues modulate AA. These processes provide a new general mechanism by which local estrogen concentration can be rapidly altered in the brain and other tissues. [less ▲]

Steroid receptor coactivator 2 modulates steroid-dependent male sexual behavior and neuroplasticity in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

in Journal of Neurochemistry (2011), 119

Postnatal maternal fluoxetine exposure affects glucocorticoid responsiveness in adolescent offspring hippocampus in a model of maternal depression

Poster (2011)

Rapid regulation by glutamate of aromatase activity

Poster (2011)

Specific activation of estrogen recepto alpha and beta enhances male sexual behavior and neuroplasticity in male Japanese quail

in PLoS ONE (2011), 6(4), 18627

Own song selectivity in the songbird auditory pathway: Suppression by norepinephrine

in PLoS ONE (2011), 6(5), 20131

Steroid receptor coactivator 2 (SRC-2) mediates steroid-dependent male sexual behavior and neuroplasticity in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Poster (2011)