Characterization of an estradiol-stimulated mRNA in the brain of adult male rats.

Differential hybridization of a cDNA library from rat C6 glioma cells with cDNA probes from naive C6 glioma cells and from cells exposed to 17 beta-estradiol identified cDNAs of an mRNA stimulated by 17 beta-estradiol. This mRNA designated ESP1 mRNA, reached maximal levels after 8 h of treatment with 17 beta-estradiol. The stimulation was not suppressed by cycloheximide. Dexamethasone treatment of C6 glioma cells did not induce ESP1 mRNA. It codes for a 164 amino acids long peptide. The sequence is similar in part to that of CRIP protein, a probably member of the ferredoxin superfamily. The conservation of primary structure suggests a role of ESP1 peptide in oxygen consumption. ESP1 mRNA expression is sexually dimorphic in body tissue, whereas it is expressed to comparative levels in the brain of adult males and females. This suggests that 17 beta-estradiol stimulates the expression of the ESP1 gene in the brain of both gender.