Investigating the Effect of 17β-Estradiol on 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol Concentration in Brain Tissue

Estrogen, more specifically 17β-estradiol (E2), has been found to have neuroprotective effects in the brain. With Alzheimer's patients being comprised mainly of women, it is worthwhile to investigate the role that reproductive senescence plays in the development and progression of the disease due to decreased levels of estrogen. The purpose of this research was to develop a method for analyzing how estrogen affects the concentration of 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC) in brain tissue. Ovariectomized (OVX) CD1 mice we subjected to daily injections of E2 for 5 days. Cholesterol and 24SOHC from hippocampal tissue were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay developed for the purpose, and their concentrations were compared between the OVX E2 treated and OVX control groups. No significant difference was found between the two groups; nevertheless, the assay developed during this study will be beneficial for further investigation of E2 as a potential modulator of cholesterol metabolism in future studies.