Dr Istvan Ábrahám
University Position
Senior Lecturer
Department
Department of Physiology Tel 64 3 479 4862 Fax 64 3 479 7323 Email
Lab web site: http://phsl.otago.ac.nz/ abraham/index.html
Interests
Our research group investigates the effect of estrogen on neurons in the brain. Although estrogen is primarily thought to alter neuronal activity via modulating gene expression directly it also exerts "non-classical" effects on neurons by altering signal transduction pathways. In our laboratory, we systematically characterize the mechanism and role of estrogen-induced "non-classical" effects on intracellular signalling molecules in cholinergic, GABAergic and GnRH neurons using immunohistochemistry, calcium imaging, single cell electrophysiology, live cell single molecule detection and transgenic technology. Our results provide novel information about estrogen-induced neuroprotective effects and estrogen action on the neuronal regulation of fertility.
Keywords
estrogen, non-classical action, neuronal signaling, GnRH neurons, cholinergic neurons, GABAergic neurons fertility, neuroprotection
Clinical conditions
Alzheimer’s disease, Infertility
Technical expertise
Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization histochemistry, stereotaxical operations, in vivo microdialysis, HPLC, extracellular electrophysiology, intracellular electrophysiology in vitro acute brain slice (whole cell patch clamp), PCR, CLSM, Ca2+ imaging, transgenic technology, live cell single molecule detection microscopy
Laboratory Staff
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Assistant Research Fellows/
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Representative Publications
Romano, N., Lee, K., Ábrahám, I.M., Jasoni, C.L., Herbison, A.E. Nonclassical estrogen modulation of presynaptic GABA terminals modulates calcium dynamics in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. (2008) Endocrinology, 149 (11), pp. 5335-5344.
DOI: 10.1210/en.2008-0424 View abstract
Szegő, É.M., Barabás, K., Balog, J., Szilágyi, N., Korach, K.S., Juhász, G., Ábrahám, I.M. Estrogen induces estrogen receptor α-dependent cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation via mitogen activated protein kinase pathway in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in vivo. (2006) Journal of Neuroscience, 26 (15), pp. 4104-4110. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0222-06.2006 View abstract
Barabás K, Szegő M.É Kaszás A. Nagy M G, Juhász G, Ábrahám. IM. Sex differences in estrogen-induced p44/42 MAPK phosphorylation in the mouse brain in vivo. (2006) Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 18, pp. 621-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2006.01447 View abstract
Ábrahám, I.M., Todman, M.G., Korach, K.S., Herbison, A.E. Critical in vivo roles for classical estrogen receptors in rapid estrogen actions on intracellular signaling in mouse brain. (2004) Endocrinology, 145 (7), pp. 3055-3061. DOI: 10.1210/en.2003-1676
View abstract
Ábrahám, I.M., Han, S.-K., Todman, M.G., Korach, K.S., Herbison, A.E. Estrogen receptor β mediates rapid estrogen actions on gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in vivo. (2003) Journal of Neuroscience, 23 (13), pp. 5771-5777. View abstract