Aromatase is the requisite and limiting enzyme in the production of estrogens from androgens. Estrogens synthesized centrally have also emerged as a potent neuroprotectant in the vertebrate brain. Studies in rodents and songbirds have identified key mechanisms that underlie both; the injury-dependent induction of central aromatization, and the protective effects of centrally synthesized estrogens. Injury-induced aromatase expression in astrocytes occurs following a broad range of traumatic brain damage including excitotoxic, penetrating, and concussive injury. Responses to neural insult such as edema and inflammation involve signaling pathways the components of which are excellent candidates as inducers of this astrocytic response. Finally, estradiol from astrocytes exerts a paracrine neuroprotective influence via the potent inhibition of inflammatory pathways. Taken together, these data suggest a novel role for neural aromatization as a protective mechanism against the threat of inflammation and suggests that central estrogen provision is a wide-ranging neuroprotectant in the vertebrate brain.

中文翻译：

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中央芳香化：对脊椎动物大脑的威胁和创伤的戏剧性和反应性防御

芳香酶是从雄激素产生雌激素的必需酶和限制酶。集中合成的雌激素也已成为脊椎动物大脑中有效的神经保护剂。对啮齿动物和鸣禽的研究已经确定了两者的关键机制；中枢芳构化的损伤依赖性诱导，以及中枢合成雌激素的保护作用。星形胶质细胞中损伤诱导的芳香化酶表达发生在广泛的创伤性脑损伤后，包括兴奋性毒性、穿透性和震荡性损伤。对水肿和炎症等神经损伤的反应涉及信号通路，其中的成分是作为这种星形细胞反应诱导剂的极好候选物。最后，来自星形胶质细胞的雌二醇通过有效抑制炎症通路发挥旁分泌神经保护作用。综上所述，这些数据表明神经芳香化作为对抗炎症威胁的保护机制具有新的作用，并表明中枢雌激素供应是脊椎动物大脑中广泛的神经保护剂。