11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 in zebra finch brain and peripheral tissues

The enzyme 11βHSD2 inactivates glucocorticoids by synthesizing metabolites that bind poorly to mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors. Oscine songbirds (Passeriformes) are important models for investigating stress hormone effects on brain and behavior but nothing is known about 11βHSD2 activity in the songbird brain. We measured 11βHSD2 mRNA expression and enzymatic activity in brain of adult and developing male and female zebra finches. Since 11βHSD2 plays an important role in GC metabolism in some peripheral organs we measured mRNA and catalytic activity also in the adult liver, kidney colon and gonads. 11βHSD2 mRNA was detected in all brain regions examined with expression in the cerebellum and hypothalamus greater in females than in males; expression in ovaries was greater than in testes. No differences were detected in the other peripheral tissues. Catalytic activity of 11βHSD2 could be measured in brain, but at low levels and no sex differences were measured in any region tested. Because 11βHSD2 protects mineralocorticoid sensitive tissues from inappropriate CORT action, we also measured mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) expression in adult brain kidney and liver. MR mRNA was detected in all tissues with similar levels of expression in neural and peripheral tissues. The wide distribution of 11βHSD2 and MR throughout the songbird brain suggests that concentrations of glucocorticoids may be locally regulated in brain to modulate their actions on MR and possibly also glucocorticoid receptors (GR). Notable differences between mRNA expression and activity point to post-transcriptional regulation of the 11βHSD2 enzyme.