Abstract
17β-Estradiol is an ovarian hormone that regulates energy circulation and storage by acting on the central nervous system. However, the metabolic differences between the blood and brain when stimulated by 17β-estradiol are poorly understood. Moreover, research using menopause-induced models to investigate primary metabolites in the blood and brain is limited. Thus, this study aimed to identify metabolic changes in the plasma and brain resulting from 17β-estradiol supplementation in an estrogen-deficient mouse model. Three groups of mice were utilized: sham-operated mice (Sham), ovariectomized mice (OVX), and ovariectomized mice that received a weekly supplementation of 17β-estradiol (E2). Plasma and brain samples from these mice were subjected to metabolic analysis using gas chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. Compared with the plasma samples from the Sham and OVX groups, the plasma samples from the E2 group contained higher contents of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as valine, isoleucine, and leucine. Meanwhile, the brain samples from the E2 group contained higher contents of most metabolites, including BCAAs, neurotransmitters, tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, and fatty acids, than those from the two other groups. This study is the first to reveal differences in energy metabolism induced by 17β-estradiol supplementation through brain metabolic profiling of ovariectomized mice, emphasizing the importance of brain metabolic profiling in menopausal hormone research.