Cytochemical and molecular biological analysis on the mechanisms of production and action of neurosteroids in the mouse cerebellum.

本研究旨在阐明神经小行星在小鼠小脑中的合成和作用机制，并了解其在该器官中的生理作用。1)用聚合酶链式反应方法检测类固醇合成酶(SCC、3β-HSD、17β-HSD、P450c17、芳香酶、5α-还原酶)的mRNA水平，用Western blotting方法检测蛋白水平。结果或免疫细胞化学结果表明，5α-还原酶存在于Bergmann胶质细胞中，其他酶存在于浦肯野细胞中。2)对新生小鼠小脑中5α-还原酶的表达进行了免疫细胞化学研究。在1周龄的小鼠小脑中检测到该酶。外颗粒层在出生后1-3周形成。5α-还原酶的表达与小脑颗粒层的形成有很好的一致性。3)这些结果表明，类固醇合成酶的表达与小脑颗粒层的形成及该层神经元的放射状迁移密切相关。

This study aims to clarify the mechanism of synthesis and action of neurasteroids in tha mouse cerebellum, and to know the physiological roles of neurasteroids in this organ. Theresults obtained areas follows:1) Steroids synthesizing enzymes(SCC, 3beta-HSD, 17beta-HSD, P450c17, aromatase, 5alfa-reductase) were detected in mRNA level by PCR method and protein level by Western blotting. The results or immunocytochemistry indicated that 5alfa-reductase was present in the Bergmann glia and the other enzymes were in the Purkinje cells.2) The expression of 5alfa-reductase was immunocytochmically studied in the neonatal mice cerebellum. The enzyme was detected in the 1 week-old mice cerebellum. The outer granular layer is formed between 1 and 3 weeks after birth. The expression of 5alfa-reductase is well coincided with this formation of the layer.3) These results indicated that the expression of the steroid synthesizing enzyme are intimately associated with the formation of the granular layer in the cerebellum and radial migration of neurons in this layer.