Estrogen induction of specific soluble proteins in the hypothalamus of the immature rat

Estrogen administration to immature female rats results in the increased synthesis of specific soluble hypothalamic proteins which can be detected using double isotope labeling and polyacrylamide electrophoretic fractionation. Increase in hormone-specific protein synthesis is detectable after 15 minutes, is maximal after 1 hour, and declines to control levels 2 hours after hormone administration. Electrophoresis on SDS polyacrylamide gels with other proteins of known molecular weights indicates an approximate subunit molecular weight of 18,000. These data suggest that early estrogen action in the central nervous system may be similar to its action in other target organs.