Transcriptomic analysis of the pre-optic area and the mediobasal hypothalamus of female rats after perinatal exposure to ketoconazole or diethylstylbestrol

Because perinatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES; strong estrogen) or ketoconazole (KTZ; steroidogenesis inhibitor) delayed vaginal opening and GnRH secretion in female rats, we studied the hypothalamic transcriptome to identify their target genes. Overall design: Female rats were exposed to vehicle or DES or KTZ during the perinatal period (gestation day 7 to postnatal day (PND) 22). Doses for DES were 0; 3; 6; 12 µg/kg bw/day and doses for KTZ were 0; 3; 6; 12 mg/kg bw/day. Expression of hypothalamic genes was analyzed by RNA-seq at PND22, PND42 and PND90. n=5/group