雌激素神经保护作用及其机制

Mechanism of Estrogen Mediated Neuroprotection

雌激素(Estrogen)是人体内常见的类固醇激素,它不仅仅在生殖系统中发挥重要作用,在神经保护方面也扮演重要角色。目前研究发现雌激素发挥作用的途径主要有两种:受体依赖途径及非受体依赖途径。可以协同表达神经营养因子,调节突触及轴突长度,上调抗细胞凋亡蛋白,舒张血管增加血流量,抗氧化应激,抗兴奋性氨基酸的毒性作用等发挥保护作用。近年来的研究发现雌激素还与线粒体的关系密切,线粒体功能在神经退行性病变的发生发展中有着举足轻重的作用,雌激素可以抑制线粒体内活性氧的生成,稳定线粒体膜电位及细胞内Ca2+稳态,减轻细胞的损伤。本文主要从以上几方面对雌激素神经保护作用进行讨论。

Estrogen is common steroid hormones in the human body, it does not only play an important role in the reproductive system, but also plays an important role in neuroprotection. At present, studies have focused on pathways of estrogen, there are mainly two pathways： receptor-dependent pathway and non-receptor-dependent pathway. Estrogen can play a protective role through coordinated expression of neurotrophic factors, regulate synaptic and axon length, up-regulate the expression of antiapoptotic protein, increase blood flow by diastolic blood vessels, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-toxic effects of excitatory amino acids. In recent years, studies have found estrogen is closely associated with mitochondria. Mitochondrial function has a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative disorders, whereas estrogen can suppress mitochondrial reactive oxygen species（ROS） production and stable mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular Ca^2＋ homeostasis to reduce the cell damage. This review will investigate the neuroprotective effects of estrogen through the above aspects.