Brain feminization requires active repression of masculinization via DNA methylation.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Nugent BM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4519828 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Brain feminization requires active repression of masculinization via DNA methylation.
Nugent Bridget M BM Wright Christopher L CL Shetty Amol C AC Hodes Georgia E GE Lenz Kathryn M KM Mahurkar Anup A Russo Scott J SJ Devine Scott E SE McCarthy Margaret M MM
Nature neuroscience 20150330 5
The developing mammalian brain is destined for a female phenotype unless exposed to gonadal hormones during a perinatal sensitive period. It has been assumed that the undifferentiated brain is masculinized by direct induction of transcription by ligand-activated nuclear steroid receptors. We found that a primary effect of gonadal steroids in the highly sexually dimorphic preoptic area (POA) is to reduce activity of DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) enzymes, thereby decreasing DNA methylation and rele ...[more]
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