Progesterone inhibits estrogen-mediated neuroprotection against excitotoxicity by down-regulating estrogen receptor-β

While both 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) are neuroprotective in several experimental paradigms, P4 also counteracts E2 neuroprotective effects. We recently reported that a 4-h treatment of cultured hippocampal slices with P4 following a prolonged (20 h) treatment with E2 eliminated estrogenic neuroprotection against NMDA toxicity and induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of the same treatment on levels of estrogen receptors, ER alpha and ER beta, and BDNF using a similar paradigm. E2 treatment resulted in elevated ER beta mRNA and protein levels, did not modify ER alpha mRNA, but increased ER alpha protein levels, and increased BDNF mRNA levels. P4 reversed E2-elicited increases in ER beta mRNA and protein levels, in ER alpha protein levels, and in BDNF mRNA levels. Experiments with an ER beta-specific antagonist, PHTPP, and specific agonists of ER alpha and ER beta, propylpyrazoletriol and diarylpropionitrile, respectively, indicated that E2-mediated neuroprotection against NMDA toxicity was, at least in part, mediated via ER beta receptor. In support of this conclusion, E2 did not protect against NMDA toxicity in cultured hippocampal slices from ER beta-/- mice. Thus, E2-mediated neuroprotection against NMDA toxicity may be because of estrogenic induction of BDNF via its ER beta receptor, and P4-mediated inhibition of E2 neuroprotective effects treatment to P4-induced down-regulation of ER beta and BDNF.