Estrogen receptor-beta colocalizes extensively with parvalbumin-labeled inhibitory neurons in the cortex, amygdala, basal forebrain, and hippocampal formation of intact and ovariectomized adult rats.

Estrogen has been reported to regulate the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons within the hippocampus, basal forebrain, and hypothalamus of adult rodents. Although estrogen receptor-alpha bearing GABAergic interneurons have been identified previously, the neurotransmitter phenotype of cells that express the more recently characterized estrogen receptor-beta (ER-beta) has not been examined in vivo. We, therefore, have used fluorescent immunohistochemistry to further characterize the phenotype of ER-beta-bearing cells by double labeling for the GABAergic-associated calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin (PV). We find that a large proportion of ER-beta-immunoreactive cells within the cortex, amygdala, basal forebrain, and hippocampal formation of intact and ovariectomized (ovx) adult rats are PV-immunoreactive. Within the infralimbic, agranular insular, primary motor, parietal association, perirhinal, and lateral entorhinal cortices, an average of 95.6% +/- 0.8% (intact) and 94.5% +/- 1.4% (ovx) of all ER-beta-immunoreactive cells coexpress parvalbumin, and this proportion is strikingly similar across these diverse cortical regions. ER-beta/PV double-labeled cells represent 23.3% +/- 1.6% (intact) and 25.8% +/- 2.0% (ovx) of all PV-labeled cells within these regions. ER-beta/PV double-labeled cells are also observed within the lateral, accessory basal, and posterior cortical nuclei of the amygdala, and periamygdaloid cortex. Within the basal forebrain, 31.0% +/- 3.1% (intact) and 26.0% +/- 5.2 % (ovx) of ER-beta-immunoreactive cells coexpress PV. Almost all ER-beta-immunoreactive cells within the subiculum, a major output region of the hippocampal formation, double label for PV (intact = 97.2% +/- 2.8%; ovx = 100% +/- 0.0%). Thus, ER-beta exhibits extensive colocalization with a subclass of inhibitory neurons, suggesting a potential mechanism whereby estrogen can regulate neuronal excitability in diverse and broad brain regions by modulating inhibitory tone. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.