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. 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