EAGER: The Role of Membrane Progestin Receptors in Progestin-Facilitated Lordosis

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Steroid hormones have pervasive effects throughout the lifespan for function of the many systems of the body and brain. It is important to more fully understand how steroids work, given that there are several potential mechanisms for their varied effects. The traditional and well-characterized view is that steroids have relatively slow actions after binding to intracellular steroid receptors. However, steroid hormones can also have rapid effects at the cell membrane in ways that have yet to be fully understood. The purpose of these studies is to investigate how the key hormone progesterone may have actions on the brain and behavior by acting at a potential membrane target, the recently discovered membrane progestin receptors (mPR). In these experiments, the expression of mPRs in the brain and body and the functional relevance with respect to behavioral endpoints will be determined using rats and mice as models. Subjects will have mPR actions in the brain manipulated to directly investigate the role of mPRs by altering membrane progestin receptor expression or activity in brain regions important for the behavioral effects observed. Because progesterone mediates the important process of reproduction, similarities across species are expected, but differences may reveal specificity in the actions of different mPRs. The research to be performed is important for understanding of the actions of progesterone, as well as other steroid hormones. This research will also provide for interdisciplinary training of faculty to further develop their skills in behavioral neuroscience and molecular biology. Post-doctoral, graduate, undergraduate, and high school student trainees will work with two excellent scientists in a project exploring an exciting new area of investigation that can lead to breakthroughs in understanding actions of steroid hormones.