Progesterone and the Spinal Cord: Good Friends in Bad Times.

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Neuroimmunomodulation. 2010;17(3):146-149. Epub 2010 Feb 4.

Progesterone and the Spinal Cord: Good Friends in Bad Times.

Labombarda F, González lle MC, De Nicola AF, González SL.

Laboratorio de Bioquímica Neuroendócrina, Instituto de Biología y Medicina

Experimental, CONICET, Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In recent years, a growing list of publications point to the value of steroid

hormones as an interesting option for the treatment of several type of lesions

and diseases of the nervous system. Progesterone, well known for its role in

pregnancy, has recently been shown to exert neuroprotective and promyelinating

effects in both, the peripheral and central nervous system, including the

injured spinal cord.

Previous work from our laboratory has shown that progesterone actions in

experimental models of spinal neurodegeneration or injury may involve the

modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a neurotrophin with important

implications in neuronal survival and axonal regeneration. The spinal cord is

target for progesterone since neurons and glial cells express the intracellular

receptors for this neuroactive steroid.

However, the presence in the spinal cord of new membrane receptors and the

enzymes involved in progesterone metabolism to its reduced derivatives, which

modulate the activity of neurotransmitter receptors, suggest that progesterone

actions involve pleiotropic mechanisms.

Our recent data uncovering several molecular events may help to understand the

protective and promyelinating actions of progesterone and further support the

role of this steroid as a promising therapeutic agent for neurotrauma and/or

neurodegenerative diseases.