Pro-social and anxiolytic-like behavior following a single 24-h exposure to 17β-estradiol in adult male zebrafish

A.B. Moraes, A.C.V.V. Giacomini, R. Genario, L. Marcon, N. Scolari, B.W. Bueno, K.A. Demin, T.G. Amstislavskaya, T. Strekalova, M.C. Soares, M.S. de Abreu*, A.V. Kalueff*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Estradiol (17 beta-estradiol, E-2) is a crucial estrogen hormone that regulates sexual, cognitive, social and affective behaviors in various species. However, complex central nervous system (CNS) effects of E-2, including its activity in males, remain poorly understood. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming a powerful novel model system in translational neuroscience research. Here, we evaluate the effects of a single 24-h exposure to 20 mu g/L of E-2 on behavioral and endocrine (cortisol) responses in adult male zebrafish. Overall, E-2 exerted pro-social effect in the social preference test, reduced whole-body cortisol levels, elevated exploration in the novel tank test and increased the shoal size in the shoaling test, indicative of an anxiolytic-like profile of this hormone in male zebrafish. Supporting mounting human and rodent evidence on the role of E-2 in behavioral regulation, the observed pro-social and anxiolytic-like effects of E-2 in male zebrafish reinforce the use of this aquatic organism in studying steroid-mediated CNS mechanisms of complex affective and social behaviors.
Original languageEnglish
Article number135591
Number of pages8
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume747
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Mar 2021

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Anxiety-like behavior
  • Cortisol
  • Estrogens
  • Social behavior
  • DANIO-RERIO
  • ER-BETA
  • SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR
  • FEMALE
  • ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR-BETA
  • ESTRADIOL LEVELS
  • ANXIETY DISORDERS
  • NONREPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
  • STRESS
  • BRAIN

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