Fluctuations in brain concentrations of neurosteroids are not associated to changes in gephyrin levels

Abstract

Fluctuations in the brain concentrations of neurosteroids are accompanied by changes in the expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Here, we investigated the expression of the postsynaptic molecule gephyrin in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of pregnant rats, as well as in rats treated chronically with contraceptive drugs. The amounts of gephyrin mRNA and protein did not change during pregnancy and after delivery, as well as in rats treated with ethynylestradiol (EE) and levonorgestrel (LNG) for 4 weeks. Similarly, using immunofluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscopy, we did not detect significant changes in the number and size of gephyrin-immunopositive clusters, which likely represent inhibitory postsynaptic sites. These findings indicate that the expression of gephyrin and the density of cortical inhibitory synapses are not influenced by endogenous neurosteroids.