Expression of nestin in superior cervical ganglia of rats is influenced by gender and gonadectomy

• Nestin is present in SCG of adult rats in satellite cells.
• Expression of nestin in SCG decreases suddenly between 2 and 3 months of age.
• Dynamic of nestin expression in SCG is strongly influenced by gonadal activity.

Neurons and glia arise from neural progenitor cells that express nestin. Although substantial changes in neuronal development were observed during the postnatal period, data concerning dynamics of nestin expression in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) of rat during that period are lacking. It is known that gonadectomy and steroid hormones influence the development of neurons in the SCG during the postnatal period, but there are no data on how they influence the persistence of nestin expression in the SCG cells.The dynamics of nestin expression in the SCG in rats of three age groups, as well as the influence of gender and gonadectomy, was investigated.Three groups of male rats were sacrificed at 2, 3 and 6 months of age. Additional groups of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were gonadectomized at the age of 2 months. After 30 days, they were sacrificed and SCGs were harvested and processed immunohistochemically. Immunoreactivity for nestin in the SCG was observed in satellite glia, based on their expression of s100. The proportion of neurons that were encircled with nestin-immunoreactive satellite cells (nestin encircled neurons, NEN) decreased between second and third month of age (p < 0.05). The proportion of NEN was greater in the NPY+ than in the NPY− subpopulation. The proportion of NEN in the SCG of female rats was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of both, the male rats and ovariectomised groups. The percentage of these neurons was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in orchidectomised, in comparison to male rats.Results show the existence of nestin-immunoreactive satellite cells in the SCG of adult rats. A substantial decrease of nestin expression in SCG cells of rats, after the onset of sexual maturation, was observed. This decrease showed significant sex-dependence and was dramatically influenced by gonadal activity.