# Estrogen Signaling in Nucleus Accumbens Astrocytes

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2022 · $33,886

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Astrocytes have been shown to play an important role in synaptic transmission. While there is emerging
research about the effects of neurotransmitters on astrocytes, there is little known about how other signaling
molecules such as hormones impact astrocyte signaling. One important hormone that is well studied with
neuronal signaling is estradiol (E2). This has important relevance in motivated behaviors such as drug
addiction where astrocyte signaling and estrogen signaling affect drug seeking behavior. However, it is
unknown how estrogen specifically affects astrocyte signaling. This proposal will determine how estrogen
affects astrocyte signaling and its subsequent regulation of tripartite synaptic transmission. For this proposal, I
will focus on astrocytes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) as this brain region is critical for drug seeking
behaviors and displays structural and functional sex differences. I hypothesize that E2 will increase intracellular
calcium in astrocytes by binding to estrogen receptors on astrocytes. This receptor binding will lead to
gliotransmitter release which will in turn increase excitatory synaptic transmission. To this test hypothesis, I will
use two photon microscopy to examine calcium activity in astrocytes. I will first establish that E2 increases
calcium activity in NAc astrocytes (Aim 1a). I will then determine the location and ER subtype as well as cell
type in which ER is expressed (Aim 1b). For Aim 2, I will test the effects of E2 on excitatory synaptic
transmission. First, I will determine where E2 stimulates gliotransmitter release by measuring slow inward
currents, a biological assay of astrocytic glutamate release (Aim 2a). In addition, I will monitor excitatory post
synaptic currents (EPSCs) and determine the gliotransmitter responsible for changes in EPSCs (Aim 2b). This
proposal will fill the knowledge gap of how estrogen affects astrocyte signaling which could lead to further
understanding of sex differences in NAc related behaviors. This proposal will also allow me to master many
research techniques such as two photon calcium imaging as well as electrophysiology, which will promote my
career goals to become an independent academic neuroscience researcher.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10465393
- **Project number:** 1F31NS124107-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Julianna G Goenaga
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $33,886
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-27 → 2024-12-26

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10465393

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10465393, Estrogen Signaling in Nucleus Accumbens Astrocytes (1F31NS124107-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10465393. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*