ANTHONY P. AUGER

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Anthony P. Auger

Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 1998, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Activation of steroid receptors in the developing or adult brain can influence a wide variety of physiological and behavioral processes. My research focuses on mechanisms that govern steroid receptor activity and investigates its functional consequence on gene expression and behavior. Themes include: 1) Understanding how steroid receptor action during development produces sex differences in brain physiology and behavior. 2) How steroid receptor action is controlled at the level of the genome. 3) How steroid receptor action is controlled by non-steroidal mechanisms, such as activation via signal transduction pathways. 4) How social interactions and neurotransmitters influence steroid receptor action. 5) Identifying sex differences in gene expression during development and determine the functional role of these genes in brain development. Basic techniques include anatomical and neurochemical methods, such as immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and Western Immunoblots, as well as tissue culture, PCR, and behavioral analysis. We also use cutting edge techniques, such as examination of gene expression using DNA arrays and manipulation of gene expression using antisense technology. In many studies, we use a multi-level approach ranging from examination of gene expression to behavioral analysis.

Auger, A.P., Moffatt, C.A. and Blaustein, J.D. (1997). Progesterone-independent activation of rat brain progestin receptors by reproductive stimuli. Endocrinology- Rapid Communication, 138: 511-514.

Auger, A.P., Tetel, M.J., and McCarthy, M.M. (2000). Steroid receptor co-activator-1 (SRC-1) mediates the development of sex specific brain morphology and behavior. Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences, 97:7551-7555.

Auger, A.P., Hexter, D., and McCarthy, M.M. (2001). Sex difference in the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in neonatal rats. Brain Research, 890: 110-117

Auger, A.P., Perrot-Sinal, T.S., and McCarthy, M.M. (2001) Excitatory versus inhibitory GABA as a divergence point in steroid-mediated sexual differentiation of the brain. Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences, 98:8059-64.

Auger. A.P., Meredith, J.M., Snyder, G.L., and Blaustein. J.D. (2001). Estradiol increases phosphorylation of a dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) in female rat brain. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 13: 761-768.

Auger, A.P. (2001) Ligand-independent activation of progestin receptors: relevance for female sexual behavior. Reproduction, 122: 847 - 855.

Auger, A.P., Perrot-Sinal, T.S., Auger, C.J., Ekas, L.A., Tetel, M.J. and McCarthy, M.M. (2002) Expression of the nuclear receptor coactivator, CREB-binding protein, is sexually dimorphic and modulates sexual differentiation of neonatal rat brain. Endocrinology, 143:3009 - 3016.

McCarthy, M.M., Perrot-Sinal, T.S, and Auger, A.P., (2002) Mechanisms establishing sex differences in brain: A role for excitatory GABA. Trends in Neuroscience, 25: 307-312.