چکیده (انگلیسی):

Previous reports suggest that the resistance of neuronal cytoskeleton to drug toxicity may
vary with age and gender. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of cytosine
arabinoside (AraC) treatment on neurofilament (NF) levels and phosphorylation status
in the developing cerebellum of male, female and testosterone propionate (1.25 mg/rat)-
androgenized female rats. AraC (200 mg/kg bw) was administered from postnatal day (PND)
14–16 and changes in the level and phosphorylation of NFs were detected at PND 16
by Western blot analysis. The drug had no effect in male pups, while it increased the
non-phosphorylated NF subunits of medium and low molecular weight in females. Androgenization
of females prevented the AraC-induced increase in NF subunits. The levels of
estrogen receptor beta (ER-), known to mediate neuroprotective actions of estrogens in
the brain, were significantly higher in the developing female cerebellum, as compared to
males and androgenized females.
These data show that the neurofilament cytoskeleton in the developing rat cerebellum
exhibits resistance to AraC that appears sexually dimorphic. In young males the resistance
is exemplified by a lack of responsiveness, whereas in juvenile females it is presented by
an androgenization-sensitive NF upregulation.