Dopaminergic and cholinergic modulation of the amygdala is altered in female mice with oestrogen receptor β deprivation

• Published in: Scientific reports 2023-01, Vol.13 (1), p.897-897, Article 897
• Main Authors: Kalinowski, Daniel, Bogus-Nowakowska, Krystyna, Kozłowska, Anna, Równiak, Maciej
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/378; 631/378/1457; 631/378/1689; 631/378/87; Acetylcholine receptors (muscarinic); Acetylcholine receptors (nicotinic); Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Amygdala; Amygdala - metabolism; Animals; Anxiety; Cholinergic Agents - metabolism; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Dopamine D1 receptors; Dopamine D2 receptors; Dopamine transporter; Estrogen Receptor beta - genetics; Estrogen Receptor beta - metabolism; Estrogen receptors; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydroxylase; Immunohistochemistry; Mice; multidisciplinary; Neuromodulation; Neurotransmission; Receptors, Muscarinic - genetics; Receptors, Muscarinic - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; Vesicular acetylcholine transporter
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28069-2

The amygdala is modulated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission, and this modulation is altered in mood disorders. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the presence/absence of quantitative alterations in the expression of main dopaminergic and cholinergic markers in the amygdala of mice with oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) knock-out which exhibit increased anxiety, using immunohistochemistry and quantitative methods. Such alterations could either contribute to increased anxiety or be a compensatory mechanism for reducing anxiety. The results show that among dopaminergic markers, the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT) and dopamine D 2 -like receptor (DA 2 ) is significantly elevated in the amygdala of mice with ERβ deprivation when compared to matched controls, whereas the content of dopamine D 1 -like receptor (DA 1 ) is not altered by ERβ knock-out. In the case of cholinergic markers, muscarinic acetylcholine type 1 receptor (AChR M1 ) and alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR α7 ) display overexpression while the content of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) remains unchanged. In conclusion, in the amygdala of ERβ knock-out female the dopaminergic and cholinergic signalling is altered, however, to determine the exact role of ERβ in the anxiety-related behaviour further studies are required.