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Freeman AR, Arenas S, Lee DN, Singh B, Ophir AG. Characterization of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in the Southern giant pouched rat and comparison to other rodents. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1390203. [PMID: 38803478 PMCID: PMC11128605 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1390203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Vasopressin and oxytocin are well known and evolutionarily ancient modulators of social behavior. The distribution and relative densities of vasopressin and oxytocin receptors are known to modulate the sensitivity to these signaling molecules. Comparative work is needed to determine which neural networks have been conserved and modified over evolutionary time, and which social behaviors are commonly modulated by nonapeptide signaling. To this end, we used receptor autoradiography to determine the distribution of vasopressin 1a and oxytocin receptors in the Southern giant pouched rat (Cricetomys ansorgei) brain, and to assess the relative densities of these receptors in specific brain regions. We then compared the relative receptor pattern to 23 other species of rodents using a multivariate ANOVA. Pouched rat receptor patterns were strikingly similar to hamsters and voles overall, despite the variation in social organization among species. Uniquely, the pouched rat had dense vasopressin 1a receptor binding in the caudate-putamen (i.e., striatum), an area that might impact affiliative behavior in this species. In contrast, the pouched rat had relatively little oxytocin receptor binding in much of the anterior forebrain. Notably, however, oxytocin receptor binding demonstrated extremely dense binding in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, which is associated with the modulation of several social behaviors and a central hub of the social decision-making network. Examination of the nonapeptide system has the potential to reveal insights into species-specific behaviors and general themes in the modulation of social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela R. Freeman
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, United States
| | - Samanta Arenas
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Danielle N. Lee
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, United States
| | - Bhupinder Singh
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Comparative Medicine Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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Semchenko AY, Senveli Z, Forrest MRL, Flores J, Fiala V, Al-Shawaf L, Buss DM, Lewis DMG. Lordosis in Humans. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2024; 50:466-478. [PMID: 36461164 DOI: 10.1177/01461672221115218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Despite progress in attractiveness research, we have yet to identify many fitness-relevant cues in the human phenotype or humans' psychology for responding to them. Here, we test hypotheses about psychological systems that may have evolved to process distinct cues in the female lumbar region. The Fetal Load Hypothesis proposes a male preference for a morphological cue: lumbar curvature. The Lordosis Detection Hypothesis posits context-dependent male attraction to a movement: lordosis behavior. In two studies (Study 1 N: 102, Study 2 N: 231), we presented men with animated female characters that varied in their lumbar curvature and back arching (i.e., lordosis behavior). Irrespective of mating context, men's attraction increased as lumbar curvature approached the hypothesized optimum. By contrast, men experienced greater attraction to lordosis behavior in short-term than long-term mating contexts. These findings support both the Lordosis Detection and Fetal Load Hypotheses. Discussion focuses on the meaning of human lordosis and the importance of dynamic stimuli in attractiveness research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mitchell R L Forrest
- Discipline of Psychology, Murdoch University and Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University
| | | | | | | | | | - David M G Lewis
- Discipline of Psychology, Murdoch University and Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University
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3
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Ma H, Hong WS, Chen SX. A progestin regulates the prostaglandin pathway in the neuroendocrine system in female mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 231:106300. [PMID: 36990161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Sex hormones regulate the reproductive cycle through brain-pituitary axis, but the molecular mechanism is still enigmatic. In the reproductive season, the mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris possesses a semilunar periodicity spawning rhythm, which coincides with the semilunar periodicity variations in 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, the precursor of 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), a sexual progestin in teleosts. In the present study, we investigated in vitro the brain transcriptional differences between DHP-treated tissues and control groups using RNA-seq. Differential expression analysis revealed that 2700 genes significantly differentially expressed, including 1532 up-regulated and 1168 down-regulated genes. The majority of prostaglandin pathway-related genes were dramatically up-regulated, especially the prostaglandin receptor 6 (ptger6). Tissue distribution analysis revealed that ptger6 gene was ubiquitously expressed. In situ hybridization results showed that ptger6, nuclear progestin receptor (pgr), and DHP-induced c-fos mRNA were co-expressed in the ventral telencephalic area, the ventral nucleus of ventral telencephalic area, the anterior part of parvocellular preoptic nucleus, the magnocellular part of magnocellular preoptic nucleus, the ventral zone of periventricular hypothalamus, the anterior tubercular nucleus, the periventricular nucleus of posterior tuberculum, and the torus longitudinalis. DHP significantly enhanced promoter activities of ptger6 via Pgr. Together, this study suggested that DHP regulates the prostaglandin pathway in the neuroendocrine system of teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Wang Shu Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Shi Xi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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Pazhoohi F, Garza R, Kingstone A. Lordosis Posture (Arching the Back) Indicates Sexual Receptivity in Women. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-023-00212-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
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Gutierrez-Castellanos N, Husain BFA, Dias IC, Lima SQ. Neural and behavioral plasticity across the female reproductive cycle. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2022; 33:769-785. [PMID: 36253276 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Sex is fundamental for the evolution and survival of most species. However, sex can also pose danger, because it increases the risk of predation and disease transmission, among others. Thus, in many species, cyclic fluctuations in the concentration of sex hormones coordinate sexual receptivity and attractiveness with female reproductive capacity, promoting copulation when fertilization is possible and preventing it otherwise. In recent decades, numerous studies have reported a wide variety of sex hormone-dependent plastic rearrangements across the entire brain, including areas relevant for female sexual behavior. By contrast, how sex hormone-induced plasticity alters the computations performed by such circuits, such that collectively they produce the appropriate periodic switches in female behavior, is mostly unknown. In this review, we highlight the myriad sex hormone-induced neuronal changes known so far, the full repertoire of behavioral changes across the reproductive cycle, and the few examples where the relationship between sex hormone-dependent plasticity, neural activity, and behavior has been established. We also discuss current challenges to causally link the actions of sex hormones to the modification of specific cellular pathways and behavior, focusing on rodents as a model system while drawing a comparison between rodents and humans wherever possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Basma F A Husain
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês C Dias
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Q Lima
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Tu L, Fukuda M, Tong Q, Xu Y. The ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus: watchdog of whole-body glucose homeostasis. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:71. [PMID: 35619170 PMCID: PMC9134642 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00799-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain, particularly the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), has been long known for its involvement in glucose sensing and whole-body glucose homeostasis. However, it is still not fully understood how the brain detects and responds to the changes in the circulating glucose levels, as well as brain-body coordinated control of glucose homeostasis. In this review, we address the growing evidence implicating the brain in glucose homeostasis, especially in the contexts of hypoglycemia and diabetes. In addition to neurons, we emphasize the potential roles played by non-neuronal cells, as well as extracellular matrix in the hypothalamus in whole-body glucose homeostasis. Further, we review the ionic mechanisms by which glucose-sensing neurons sense fluctuations of ambient glucose levels. We also introduce the significant implications of heterogeneous neurons in the VMH upon glucose sensing and whole-body glucose homeostasis, in which sex difference is also addressed. Meanwhile, research gaps have also been identified, which necessities further mechanistic studies in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longlong Tu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street #8066, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Makoto Fukuda
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street #8066, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street #8066, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Wang S, Long KLP, Manoli DS. From mating to mama bear: Distinct VMHvl cell types drive female reproductive state-dependent behavior. Neuron 2022; 110:737-739. [PMID: 35240060 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Liu et al. (2022) molecularly identify subsets of estrogen receptor-1-positive neurons within the female ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamus activated during sexual receptivity versus agonistic behaviors in distinct reproductive states and demonstrate that these subsets control state-dependent changes in social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
| | - Kimberly L P Long
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA
| | - Devanand S Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 95158, USA.
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8
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Abstract
The role of central estrogen in cognitive, metabolic, and reproductive health has long fascinated the lay public and scientists alike. In the last two decades, insight into estrogen signaling in the brain and its impact on female physiology is beginning to catch up with the vast information already established for its actions on peripheral tissues. Using newer methods to manipulate estrogen signaling in hormone-sensitive brain regions, neuroscientists are now identifying the molecular pathways and neuronal subtypes required for controlling sex-dependent energy allocation. However, the immense cellular complexity of these hormone-sensitive brain regions makes it clear that more research is needed to fully appreciate how estrogen modulates neural circuits to regulate physiological and behavioral end points. Such insight is essential for understanding how natural or drug-induced hormone fluctuations across lifespan affect women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly A Ingraham
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| | - Candice B Herber
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| | - William C Krause
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
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9
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Abstract
Previous research has shown that women may use self-enhancement strategies to compete with one other. Lumbar curvature in women is considered to enhance a woman′s attractiveness, potentially due to its role in bipedal fetal load and sexual receptiveness. The current study investigated the role of lumbar curvature on women’s perceptions of sexual receptiveness as well as its role in women’s intrasexual competitiveness. Study 1 (N = 138) tested and confirmed that women’s intrasexual competition influences their perception of sexual receptivity of women as a function of lordosis posture depicted in a standing posture. Study 2 (N = 69) replicated these results and extended them to other postures, namely, the quadruped and supine positions. Study 3 (N = 106), using a two-alternative forced-choice task, revealed that other women perceive relatively larger arched-back postures as more threatening to their relationship and frequently as being more attractive. Collectively, this work suggests that women consider a lordotic posture in other women as a signal of sexual receptivity and perceive it as a threat to their relationship. This research provides robust support for the sexually receptivity hypothesis of lumbar curvature, questioning the alternative morphological vertebral wedging hypothesis.
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Jean A, Mhaouty-Kodja S, Hardin-Pouzet H. Hypothalamic cellular and molecular plasticity linked to sexual experience in male rats and mice. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 63:100949. [PMID: 34687674 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Male sexual behavior is subject to learning, resulting in increased efficiency of experienced males compared to naive ones. The improvement in behavioral parameters is underpinned by cellular and molecular changes in the neural circuit controlling sexual behavior, particularly in the hypothalamic medial preoptic area. This review provides an update on the mechanisms related to the sexual experience in male rodents, emphasizing the differences between rats and mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Jean
- Sorbonne Université - Faculté de Sciences et Ingénierie, Neuroplasticité des Comportements de la Reproduction, Neurosciences Paris Seine, UM119 - CNRS UMR 8246 - INSERM UMRS 1130, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75 005 Paris, France
| | - Sakina Mhaouty-Kodja
- Sorbonne Université - Faculté de Sciences et Ingénierie, Neuroplasticité des Comportements de la Reproduction, Neurosciences Paris Seine, UM119 - CNRS UMR 8246 - INSERM UMRS 1130, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75 005 Paris, France
| | - Hélène Hardin-Pouzet
- Sorbonne Université - Faculté de Sciences et Ingénierie, Neuroplasticité des Comportements de la Reproduction, Neurosciences Paris Seine, UM119 - CNRS UMR 8246 - INSERM UMRS 1130, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75 005 Paris, France.
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11
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Abstract
The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) is a complex brain structure that is integral to many neuroendocrine functions, including glucose regulation, thermogenesis, and appetitive, social, and sexual behaviors. As such, it is of little surprise that the nucleus is under intensive investigation to decipher the mechanisms which underlie these diverse roles. Developments in genetic and investigative tools, for example the targeting of steroidogenic factor-1-expressing neurons, have allowed us to take a closer look at the VMH, its connections, and how it affects competing behaviors. In the current review, we aim to integrate recent findings into the literature and contemplate the conclusions that can be drawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tansi Khodai
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon M Luckman
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
- Correspondence: Simon M. Luckman, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK.
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12
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The Structural and Electrophysiological Properties of Progesterone Receptor-Expressing Neurons Vary along the Anterior-Posterior Axis of the Ventromedial Hypothalamus and Undergo Local Changes across the Reproductive Cycle. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0049-21.2021. [PMID: 33879568 PMCID: PMC8184219 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0049-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex hormone levels continuously fluctuate across the reproductive cycle, changing the activity of neuronal circuits to coordinate female behavior and reproductive capacity. The ventrolateral division of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl) contains neurons expressing receptors for sex hormones and its function is intimately linked to female sexual receptivity. However, recent findings suggest that the VMHvl is functionally heterogeneous. Here, we used whole recordings and intracellular labeling to characterize the electrophysiological and morphologic properties of individual VMHvl neurons in naturally cycling females and report the existence of multiple electrophysiological phenotypes within the VMHvl. We found that the properties of progesterone receptor expressing (PR+) neurons, but not PR– neurons, depended systematically on the neuron’s location along the anterior-posterior (AP) axis of the VMHvl and the phase within the reproductive cycle. Prominent among this, the resting membrane potential of anterior PR+ neurons decreased during the receptive phase, while the excitability of medial PR+ neurons increased during the non-receptive phase. During the receptive phase of the cycle, posterior PR+ neurons simultaneously showed an increase in dendritic complexity and a decrease in spine density. These findings reveal an extensive diversity of local rules driving structural and physiological changes in response to fluctuating levels of sex hormones, supporting the anatomic and functional subdivision of the VMHvl and its possible role in the orchestration of different aspects of female socio-sexual behavior.
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Pereira LDS, Gobbo DR, Ferreira JGP, Horta-Junior JDADCE, Sá SI, Bittencourt JC. Effects of ovariectomy on inputs from the medial preoptic area to the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus of young adult rats. J Anat 2021; 238:467-479. [PMID: 32914872 PMCID: PMC7812137 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Puberty is an important phase of development when the neural circuit organization is transformed by sexual hormones, inducing sexual dimorphism in adult behavioural responses. The principal brain area responsible for the control of the receptive component of female sexual behaviour is the ventrolateral division of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMHvl), which is known for its dependency on ovarian hormones. Inputs to the VMHvl originating from the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) are responsible for conveying essential information that will trigger such behaviour. Here, we investigated the pattern of the projection of the MPN to the VMHvl in rats ovariectomized at the onset of puberty. Sprague Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX) at puberty and then subjected to iontophoretic injections of the neuronal anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin into the MPN once they reached 90 days of age. This study analysed the connectivity pattern established between the MPN and the VMH that is involved in the neuronal circuit responsible for female sexual behaviour in control and OVX rats. The data show the changes in the organization of the connections observed in the OVX adult rats that displayed a reduced axonal length for the MPN fibres reaching the VMHvl, suggesting that peripubertal ovarian hormones are relevant to the organization of MPN connections with structures involved in the promotion of female sexual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís da Silva Pereira
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Denise Ribeiro Gobbo
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Susana Isabel Sá
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, CINTESIS, Centre for Health Technology and Services Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Nucleo de Neurociencias e Comportamento, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Gobbo DR, Pereira LDS, Ferreira JGP, de Castro Horta-Junior JA, Bittencourt JC, Sá SI. Effects of ovariectomy on the inputs from the medial nucleus of the amygdala to the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus in young adult rats. Neurosci Lett 2021; 746:135657. [PMID: 33482312 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
During puberty, sexual hormones induce crucial changes in neural circuit organization, leading to significant sexual dimorphism in adult behaviours. The ventrolateral division of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMHvl) is the major neural site controlling the receptive component of female sexual behaviour, which is dependent on ovarian hormones. The inputs to the VMHvl, originating from the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA), transmit essential information to trigger such behaviour. In this study, we investigated the projection pattern of the MeA to the VMHvl in ovariectomized rats at early puberty. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and, upon reaching 90 days of age, were subjected to iontophoretic injections of the neuronal anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin into the MeA. Projections from the MeA to the VMHvl and to other structures included in the neural circuit responsible for female sexual behaviour were analysed in the Control and OVX groups. The results of the semi-quantitative analysis showed that peripubertal ovariectomy reduced the density of intra-amygdalar fibres. The stereological estimates, however, failed to find changes in the organization of the terminal fields of nerve fibres from the MeA to the VMHvl in the adult. The present data show that ovariectomized rats during the peripubertal phase did not undergo significant changes in MeA fibres reaching the VMHvl; however, they suggest a possible effect of ovariectomy on MeA connectivity under amygdalar subnuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Ribeiro Gobbo
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lais da Silva Pereira
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jozélia Gomes Pacheco Ferreira
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Psicologia, Nucleo de Neurociências e Comportamento, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Susana Isabel Sá
- Department of Biomedicine, Unit of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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15
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Marraudino M, Carrillo B, Bonaldo B, Llorente R, Campioli E, Garate I, Pinos H, Garcia-Segura LM, Collado P, Grassi D. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivity in the Rat Hypothalamus Is Widely Distributed in Neurons, Astrocytes, and Oligodendrocytes, Fluctuates during the Estrous Cycle, and Is Sexually Dimorphic. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:660-677. [PMID: 32570260 DOI: 10.1159/000509583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The membrane-associated G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) mediates the regulation by estradiol of arginine-vasopressin immunoreactivity in the supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of female rats and is involved in the estrogenic control of hypothalamic regulated functions, such as food intake, sexual receptivity, and lordosis behavior. OBJECTIVE To assess GPER distribution in the rat hypothalamus. METHODS GPER immunoreactivity was assessed in different anatomical subdivisions of five selected hypothalamic regions of young adult male and cycling female rats: the arcuate nucleus, the lateral hypothalamus, the paraventricular nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. GPER immunoreactivity was colocalized with NeuN as a marker of mature neurons, GFAP as a marker of astrocytes, and CC1 as a marker of mature oligodendrocytes. RESULTS GPER immunoreactivity was detected in hypothalamic neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Sex and regional differences and changes during the estrous cycle were detected in the total number of GPER-immunoreactive cells and in the proportion of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes that were GPER-immunoreactive. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that estrogenic regulation of hypothalamic function through GPER may be different in males and females and may fluctuate during the estrous cycle in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Marraudino
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini," Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Beatriz Carrillo
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Brigitta Bonaldo
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini," Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ricardo Llorente
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elia Campioli
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iciar Garate
- Department of Physiotherapy, Podology, and Dance, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Pinos
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Collado
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain,
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain,
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16
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Trejo-Sánchez I, Pérez-Monter C, Huerta-Pacheco S, Gutiérrez-Ospina G. Male Ejaculatory Endophenotypes: Revealing Internal Inconsistencies of the Concept in Heterosexual Copulating Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:90. [PMID: 32670030 PMCID: PMC7332778 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinct manifestations of sexual behavior are conceived as separate phenotypes. Each sexual phenotype is assumed to be associated with a characteristic brain. These notions have justified the phenotyping of heterosexual copulator males based upon their ejaculation's latencies (EL) or frequencies (i.e., cumulative ejaculation number; EN). For instance, men and male rats showing premature, normal or retarded ejaculation are assumed to be distinctive endophenotypes. This concept, nonetheless, contradicts past and recent evidence that supports that sexual behavior is highly variable within each sex, and that the brain sexual functional morphology represents an intricate sexual phenotypic mosaic. Hence, for ejaculatory male endophenotypes to be considered as a valid biological concept, it must show internal consistency at various levels of organization (including genetic architectures), after being challenged by intrinsic and/or extrinsic factors. We then judged the internal consistency of the presumed ejaculatory endophenotypes by assessing whether copulatory behavior and the expression of copulation relevant genes and brain limbic structures are specific to each of the presumed EL- or EN-ejaculatory endophenotypes. To do this, copulating male rats were first phenotyped in groups consistently displaying short, average or long ejaculation latencies or very high, high, average, low or very low EN, based in their copulatory performance. Then, the internal consistency of the presumed EL- or EN-endophenotypes was tested by introducing as covariates of phenotyping other copulatory parameters (e.g., number of intromissions) in addition to EL or EN, or by analyzing the expression levels of genes encoding for estrogen receptor alpha, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor, aromatase, DNA methyl-transferase 3a and DNA methyl-transferase 1 in the amygdala, medial preoptic area, ventromedial hypothalamus and olfactory bulb. We found that even though there were group-level differences in all the variables that were studied, these differences did not add-up to create the presumed EL- or EN-ejaculatory endophenotypes. In fact, the extensive overlapping of copulatory parameters and expression levels of copulation relevant genes in limbic structures across EL- or EN-phenotyped copulating male rats, is not consistent with the hypothesis that distinct ejaculatory endophenotypes exist and that they are associated with specific brain characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itztli Trejo-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sistemas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Pérez-Monter
- Departamento de Gastroenterología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición “Salvador Zubirán”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sofía Huerta-Pacheco
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Gutiérrez-Ospina
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sistemas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Coordinación de Psicobiología y Neurociencias, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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17
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Mir FR, Wilson C, Cabrera Zapata LE, Aguayo LG, Cambiasso MJ. Gonadal hormone-independent sex differences in GABA A receptor activation in rat embryonic hypothalamic neurons. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:3075-3090. [PMID: 32133616 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE GABAA receptor functions are dependent on subunit composition, and, through their activation, GABA can exert trophic actions in immature neurons. Although several sex differences in GABA-mediated responses are known to be dependent on gonadal hormones, few studies have dealt with sex differences detected before the critical period of brain masculinisation. In this study, we assessed GABAA receptor functionality in sexually segregated neurons before brain hormonal masculinisation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Ventromedial hypothalamic neurons were obtained from embryonic day 16 rat brains and grown in vitro for 2 days. Calcium imaging and electrophysiology recordings were carried out to assess GABAA receptor functional parameters. KEY RESULTS GABAA receptor activation elicited calcium entry in immature hypothalamic neurons mainly through L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels. Nifedipine blocked calcium entry more efficiently in male than in female neurons. There were more male than female neurons responding to GABA, and they needed more time to return to resting levels. Pharmacological characterisation revealed that propofol enhanced GABAA -mediated currents and blunted GABA-mediated calcium entry more efficiently in female neurons than in males. Testosterone treatment did not erase such sex differences. These data suggest sex differences in the expression of GABAA receptor subtypes. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS GABA-mediated responses are sexually dimorphic even in the absence of gonadal hormone influence, suggesting genetically biased differences. These results highlight the importance of GABAA receptors in hypothalamic neurons even before hormonal masculinisation of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco R Mir
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Cátedra de Fisiología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Cátedra de Fisiología Animal, Departamento de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Carlos Wilson
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Centro de Investigación en Medicina Traslaciona, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Lucas E Cabrera Zapata
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luis G Aguayo
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - María Julia Cambiasso
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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18
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van Veen JE, Kammel LG, Bunda PC, Shum M, Reid MS, Massa MG, Arneson D, Park JW, Zhang Z, Joseph AM, Hrncir H, Liesa M, Arnold AP, Yang X, Correa SM. Hypothalamic estrogen receptor alpha establishes a sexually dimorphic regulatory node of energy expenditure. Nat Metab 2020; 2:351-363. [PMID: 32377634 PMCID: PMC7202561 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-020-0189-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor a (ERa) signaling in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) contributes to energy homeostasis by modulating physical activity and thermogenesis. However, the precise neuronal populations involved remain undefined. Here, we describe six neuronal populations in the mouse VMH by using single-cell RNA transcriptomics and in situ hybridization. ERa is enriched in populations showing sex biased expression of reprimo (Rprm), tachykinin 1 (Tac1), and prodynorphin (Pdyn). Female biased expression of Tac1 and Rprm is patterned by ERa-dependent repression during male development, whereas male biased expression of Pdyn is maintained by circulating testicular hormone in adulthood. Chemogenetic activation of ERa positive VMH neurons stimulates heat generation and movement in both sexes. However, silencing Rprm gene function increases core temperature selectively in females and ectopic Rprm expression in males is associated with reduced core temperature. Together these findings reveal a role for Rprm in temperature regulation and ERa in the masculinization of neuron populations that underlie energy expenditure.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Edward van Veen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- authors contributed equally
| | - Laura G Kammel
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- authors contributed equally
| | - Patricia C Bunda
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael Shum
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle S Reid
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan G Massa
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Doctoral Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Douglas Arneson
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jae W Park
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alexia M Joseph
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Haley Hrncir
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marc Liesa
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arthur P Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie M Correa
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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19
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Kammel LG, Correa SM. Selective sexual differentiation of neurone populations may contribute to sex-specific outputs of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12801. [PMID: 31605642 PMCID: PMC6982598 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences among neurones in the ventrolateral region of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMHvl) allow for the display of a diversity of sex-typical behaviours and physiological responses, ranging from mating behaviour to metabolism. Here, we review recent studies that interrogate the relationship between sex-typical responses and changes in cellular phenotypes. We discuss technologies that increase the resolution of molecular profiling or targeting of cell populations, including single-cell transcriptional profiling and conditional viral genetic approaches to manipulate neurone survival or activity. Overall, emerging studies indicate that sex-typical functions of the VMH may be mediated by phenotypically distinct and sexually differentiated neurone populations within the VMHvl. Future studies in this and other brain regions could exploit cell-type-specific tools to reveal the cell populations and molecular mediators that modulate sex-typical responses. Furthermore, cell-type-specific analyses of the effects of sexually differentiating factors, including sex hormones, can test the hypothesis that distinct cell types within a single brain region vary with respect to sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura G Kammel
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie M Correa
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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Barrière DA, Ella A, Adriaensen H, Roselli CE, Chemineau P, Keller M. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging reveals the effect of gonadal hormones on morphological and functional brain sexual dimorphisms in adult sheep. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 109:104387. [PMID: 31465941 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the brain and behavior are produced by the perinatal action of testosterone, which is converted into estradiol by the enzyme aromatase in the brain. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used in humans to study these differences, the use of animal models, where hormonal status can be properly manipulated, is necessary to explore the mechanisms involved. We used sheep, a recognized model in the field of neuroendocrinology, to assess brain morphological and functional sex differences and their regulation by adult gonadal hormones. To this end, we performed voxel-based morphometry and a resting-state functional MRI approach to assess sex differences in gonadally intact animals. We demonstrated significant sex differences in gray matter concentration (GMC) at the level of the gonadotropic axis, i.e., not only within the hypothalamus and pituitary but also within the hippocampus and the amygdala of intact animals. We then performed the same analysis one month after gonadectomy and found that some of these differences were reduced, especially in the hypothalamus and amygdala. By contrast, we found few differences in the organization of the functional connectome between males and females either before or after gonadectomy. As a whole, our study identifies brain regions that are sexually dimorphic in the sheep brain at the resolution of the MRI and highlights the role of gonadal hormones in the maintenance of these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David André Barrière
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France; Neurospin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Arsène Ella
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France; MRC Cognition & Brain Science Unit, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Hans Adriaensen
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Philippe Chemineau
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Matthieu Keller
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France.
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21
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Sergio RP, Susana RM, Alberto DJ, Socorro RM. Leucaena leucocephala extract has estrogenic and antiestrogenic actions on female rat reproduction. Physiol Behav 2019; 211:112683. [PMID: 31533020 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Leucaena feed has been reported to cause disruptive effects on livestock reproduction, such as low calving percentages in cows, abortion in female goats and pigs, dead fetuses and fetal resorption in pregnant rats. In this study, the effects of Leucaena on different female reproductive variables were analyzed in two different reproductive conditions: gonadally intact and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. Leucaena (LEU) was administered to females in both experimental conditions for 30 consecutive days. The effects of the legume extract were compared with those of Daidzein (DAI), a phytoestrogen, and of the female hormone estradiol (E2). In intact females, LEU disrupted the estrous cycle and female sexual behavior, decreased the number of follicles and corpora lutea, increased uterine and vaginal epithelium in proestrus and diestrus periods, increased uterine and vaginal relative weights during diestrus, and decreased serum progesterone during proestrus. All these effects were similar to those of DAI but lower than E2-induced effects. In OVX females, LEU decreased body weight, induced lordosis, stimulated vaginal epithelium cornification, increased vaginal weight, and augmented vaginal epithelium thickness. Again, these effects were similar to the effects of DAI and lower than the effects observed with E2. These results indicate that, in gonadally intact females, LEU can produce antiestrogenic effects in sexual behavior but estrogenic effects on uterine and vaginal weight and epithelia, without modifying serum levels of E2. In OVX females, in total absence of endogenous E2, LEU induced estrogenic effects on vaginal weight and epithelia, as well as on sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romero-Palacios Sergio
- Maestría en Biología de la Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico
| | - Rojas-Maya Susana
- Departamento de Neuroendocrinología de la Conducta Reproductiva, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Delgadillo José Alberto
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Retana-Márquez Socorro
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, San Rafael Atlixco 186, México City C.P. 09340, Mexico.
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22
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Perkes A, White D, Wild JM, Schmidt M. Female Songbirds: The unsung drivers of courtship behavior and its neural substrates. Behav Processes 2019; 163:60-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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23
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Zhang YH, Tang MM, Guo X, Gao XR, Zhang JH, Zhang JX. Associative learning is necessary for airborne pheromones to activate sexual arousal-linked brain areas of female rats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2685-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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24
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Wallner B, Windhager S, Schaschl H, Nemeth M, Pflüger LS, Fieder M, Domjanić J, Millesi E, Seidler H. Sexual Attractiveness: a Comparative Approach to Morphological, Behavioral and Neurophysiological Aspects of Sexual Signaling in Women and Nonhuman Primate Females. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-019-00111-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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25
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Matsuzaki T, Munkhzaya M, Iwasa T, Tungalagsuvd A, Yano K, Mayila Y, Yanagihara R, Tokui T, Kato T, Kuwahara A, Matsui S, Irahara M. Prenatal undernutrition suppresses sexual behavior in female rats. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 269:46-52. [PMID: 30099033 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Infectious, psychological and metabolic stresses in the prenatal and early neonatal period induce long-lasting effects in physiological function and increase the risk of metabolic disorders later in life. We examined the sexual behavior of female rats that were subjected to undernutrition in the prenatal period. Eight pregnant rats were divided into two groups: a maternal normal nutrition group (mNN; n = 4) and a maternal undernutrition group (mUN; n = 4), which received 50% of the daily food intake amount of the mNN group from gestation day 13 to delivery. Nine and seven female offspring were randomly selected from the mNN and mUN groups, respectively. Vaginal opening (VO), estrous cycle length, sexual behavior and mRNA expression levels of the factors that regulate sexual behavior were observed. In the mUN group, VO day was later, the estrous cycle was longer, and the lordosis quotient and lordosis rating were lower than in the mNN group; such differences were not seen in other sexual performances, such as ear wiggles, darts, kick bouts and box. The hypothalamic mRNA expression level of progesterone receptor (PR) A + B and oxytocin (OT) were significantly lower in the mUN group than in the mNN group. These findings indicated that prenatal undernutrition disrupted puberty onset, the estrous cycle, sexual behavior and hypothalamic mRNA expression of PR and OT in female rat pups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Matsuzaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
| | - Munkhsaikhan Munkhzaya
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Department of Gynecology, The First Maternity Hospital of Mongolia, Peace Avenue, 1st khoroo, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia
| | - Takeshi Iwasa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Altankhuu Tungalagsuvd
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for Maternal and Child Health, Khuvisgalchid Street, Bayangol District, Ulaanbaatar 160660, Mongolia
| | - Kiyohito Yano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yiliyasi Mayila
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Rie Yanagihara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takako Tokui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Akira Kuwahara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Sumika Matsui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Minoru Irahara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15. Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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26
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Ishii KK, Touhara K. Neural circuits regulating sexual behaviors via the olfactory system in mice. Neurosci Res 2018; 140:59-76. [PMID: 30389572 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is essential for any animal species. Reproductive behaviors, or sexual behaviors, are largely shaped by external sensory cues exchanged during sexual interaction. In many animals, including rodents, olfactory cues play a critical role in regulating sexual behavior. What exactly these olfactory cues are and how they impact animal behavior have been a central question in the field. Over the past few decades, many studies have dedicated to identifying an active compound that elicits sexual behavior from crude olfactory components. The identified substance has served as a tool to dissect the sensory processing mechanisms in the olfactory systems. In addition, recent advances in genetic engineering, and optics and microscopic techniques have greatly expanded our knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying the control of sexual behavior in mice. This review summarizes our current knowledge about how sexual behaviors are controlled by olfactory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro K Ishii
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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27
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Micevych PE, Sinchak K. Extranuclear signaling by ovarian steroids in the regulation of sexual receptivity. Horm Behav 2018; 104:4-14. [PMID: 29753716 PMCID: PMC6240501 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Micevych
- Dept of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the UCLA Brain Research Institute, United States
| | - Kevin Sinchak
- Dept of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, United States.
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28
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Jurek B, Neumann ID. The Oxytocin Receptor: From Intracellular Signaling to Behavior. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:1805-1908. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00031.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 408] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The many facets of the oxytocin (OXT) system of the brain and periphery elicited nearly 25,000 publications since 1930 (see FIGURE 1 , as listed in PubMed), which revealed central roles for OXT and its receptor (OXTR) in reproduction, and social and emotional behaviors in animal and human studies focusing on mental and physical health and disease. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of OXT expression and release, expression and binding of the OXTR in brain and periphery, OXTR-coupled signaling cascades, and their involvement in behavioral outcomes to assemble a comprehensive picture of the central and peripheral OXT system. Traditionally known for its role in milk let-down and uterine contraction during labor, OXT also has implications in physiological, and also behavioral, aspects of reproduction, such as sexual and maternal behaviors and pair bonding, but also anxiety, trust, sociability, food intake, or even drug abuse. The many facets of OXT are, on a molecular basis, brought about by a single receptor. The OXTR, a 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor capable of binding to either Gαior Gαqproteins, activates a set of signaling cascades, such as the MAPK, PKC, PLC, or CaMK pathways, which converge on transcription factors like CREB or MEF-2. The cellular response to OXT includes regulation of neurite outgrowth, cellular viability, and increased survival. OXTergic projections in the brain represent anxiety and stress-regulating circuits connecting the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or the medial prefrontal cortex. Which OXT-induced patterns finally alter the behavior of an animal or a human being is still poorly understood, and studying those OXTR-coupled signaling cascades is one initial step toward a better understanding of the molecular background of those behavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Jurek
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Pazhoohi F, Doyle JF, Macedo AF, Arantes J. Arching the Back (Lumbar Curvature) as a Female Sexual Proceptivity Signal: an Eye-Tracking Study. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-017-0123-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Micevych PE, Mermelstein PG, Sinchak K. Estradiol Membrane-Initiated Signaling in the Brain Mediates Reproduction. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:654-666. [PMID: 28969926 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few years our understanding of estrogen signaling in the brain has expanded rapidly. Estrogens are synthesized in the periphery and in the brain, acting on multiple receptors to regulate gene transcription, neural function, and behavior. Various estrogen-sensitive signaling pathways often operate in concert within the same cell, increasing the complexity of the system. In females, estrogen concentrations fluctuate over the estrous/menstrual cycle, dynamically modulating estrogen receptor (ER) expression, activity, and trafficking. These dynamic changes influence multiple behaviors but are particularly important for reproduction. Using the female rodent model, we review our current understanding of estradiol signaling in the regulation of sexual receptivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Paul G Mermelstein
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kevin Sinchak
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
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Chowdhury GMI, Wang P, Ciardi A, Mamillapalli R, Johnson J, Zhu W, Eid T, Behar K, Chan O. Impaired Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus May Contribute to Defective Counterregulation in Recurrently Hypoglycemic Rats. Diabetes 2017; 66:1979-1989. [PMID: 28416628 PMCID: PMC5482086 DOI: 10.2337/db16-1589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to understand the role of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in response to hypoglycemia and to elucidate the effects of recurrent hypoglycemia (RH) on this neurotransmitter. We 1) measured changes in interstitial VMH glutamate levels by using microdialysis and biosensors, 2) identified the receptors that mediate glutamate's stimulatory effects on the counterregulatory responses, 3) quantified glutamate metabolic enzyme levels in the VMH, 4) examined astrocytic glutamate reuptake mechanisms, and 5) used 1H-[13C]-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to evaluate the effects of RH on neuronal glutamate metabolism. We demonstrated that glutamate acts through kainic acid receptors in the VMH to augment counterregulatory responses. Biosensors showed that the normal transient rise in glutamate levels in response to hypoglycemia is absent in RH animals. More importantly, RH reduced extracellular glutamate concentrations partly as a result of decreased glutaminase expression. Decreased glutamate was also associated with reduced astrocytic glutamate transport in the VMH. NMR analysis revealed a decrease in [4-13C]glutamate but unaltered [4-13C]glutamine concentrations in the VMH of RH animals. The data suggest that glutamate release is important for proper activation of the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia and that impairment of glutamate metabolic and resynthetic pathways with RH may contribute to counterregulatory failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golam M I Chowdhury
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Peili Wang
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Alisha Ciardi
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Ramanaiah Mamillapalli
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Justin Johnson
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Wanling Zhu
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Tore Eid
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Kevin Behar
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Owen Chan
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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Mohsen Z, Sim H, Garcia-Galiano D, Han X, Bellefontaine N, Saunders TL, Elias CF. Sexually dimorphic distribution of Prokr2 neurons revealed by the Prokr2-Cre mouse model. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:4111-4129. [PMID: 28616754 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1456-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Prokineticin receptor 2 (PROKR2) is predominantly expressed in the mammalian central nervous system. Loss-of-function mutations of PROKR2 in humans are associated with Kallmann syndrome due to the disruption of gonadotropin releasing hormone neuronal migration and deficient olfactory bulb morphogenesis. PROKR2 has been also implicated in the neuroendocrine control of GnRH neurons post-migration and other physiological systems. However, the brain circuitry and mechanisms associated with these actions have been difficult to investigate mainly due to the widespread distribution of Prokr2-expressing cells, and the lack of animal models and molecular tools. Here, we describe the generation, validation and characterization of a new mouse model that expresses Cre recombinase driven by the Prokr2 promoter, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Cre expression was visualized using reporter genes, tdTomato and GFP, in males and females. Expression of Cre-induced reporter genes was found in brain sites previously described to express Prokr2, e.g., the paraventricular and the suprachiasmatic nuclei, and the area postrema. The Prokr2-Cre mouse model was further validated by colocalization of Cre-induced GFP and Prokr2 mRNA. No disruption of Prokr2 expression, GnRH neuronal migration or fertility was observed. Comparative analysis of Prokr2-Cre expression in male and female brains revealed a sexually dimorphic distribution confirmed by in situ hybridization. In females, higher Cre activity was found in the medial preoptic area, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus, medial amygdala and lateral parabrachial nucleus. In males, Cre was higher in the amygdalo-hippocampal area. The sexually dimorphic pattern of Prokr2 expression indicates differential roles in reproductive function and, potentially, in other physiological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaid Mohsen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Hosung Sim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - David Garcia-Galiano
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Xingfa Han
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA.,Isotope Research Lab, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, People's Republic of China
| | - Nicole Bellefontaine
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Thomas L Saunders
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,University of Michigan Transgenic Animal Model Core, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Carol F Elias
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1137 E. Catherine St., 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Wild JM. The ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata): Afferent and efferent projections in relation to the control of reproductive behavior. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:2657-2676. [PMID: 28420031 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sex-specific mating behaviors occur in a variety of mammals, with the medial preoptic nucleus (POM) and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) mediating control of male and female sexual behavior, respectively. In birds, likewise, POM is predominantly involved in the control of male reproductive behavior, but the degree to which VMH is involved in female reproductive behavior is unclear. Here, in male and female zebra finches, a combination of aromatase immunohistochemistry and conventional tract tracing facilitated the definition of two separate but adjacent nuclei in the basal hypothalamus: an oblique band of aromatase-positive (AR+) neurons, and ventromedial to this, an ovoid, aromatase-negative (AR-) nucleus. The AR- nucleus, but not the AR+ nucleus, was here shown to receive a projection from rostral parts of the thalamic auditory nucleus ovoidalis and from the nucleus of the tractus ovoidalis. The AR- nucleus also receives an overlapping, major projection from previously uncharted regions of the medial arcopallium and a minor projection from the caudomedial nidopallium. Both the AR- and the AR+ nuclei project to the intercollicular nucleus of the midbrain. No obvious sex differences in either the pattern of AR immunoreactivity or of the afferent projections to the AR- nucleus were observed. The significance of these results in terms of the acoustic control of avian reproductive behavior is discussed, and a comparison with the organization of VMH afferents in lizards suggests a homologous similarity of the caudal telencephalon in sauropsids.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Martin Wild
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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34
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Juengel JL, French MC, Quirke LD, Kauff A, Smith GW, Johnstone PD. Differential expression of CART in ewes with differing ovulation rates. Reproduction 2017; 153:471-479. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We hypothesised that cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CARTPT) would be differentially expressed in ewes with differing ovulation rates. Expression of mRNA forCARTPT, as well asLHCGR,FSHR,CYP19A1andCYP17A1was determined in antral follicles ≥1 mm in diameter collected during the follicular phase in ewes heterozygous for the Booroola and Inverdale genes (I+B+; average ovulation rate 4) and ++ contemporaries (++; average ovulation rate 1.8). In ++ ewes (n = 6),CARTPTwas expressed in small follicles (1 to <3 mm diameter), where 18.8 ± 2.5% follicles expressedCARTPT. CART peptide was also detected in follicular fluid of some follicles of ++ ewes. In I+B+ ewes, 5/6 ewes did not have any follicles that expressedCARTPT, and no CART peptide was detected in any follicle examined. Expression pattern ofCYP19A1differed between I+B+ and ++ ewes with an increased percentage of small and medium follicles (3 to <4.5 mm diameter) but decreased percentage of large follicles (≥4.5 mm diameter) expressingCYP19A1in the I+B+ ewes. Many of the large follicles from the I+B+ ewes appeared non-functional and expression ofLHCGR,FSHR,CYP17A1andCYP19A1was less than that observed in ++ ewes. Expression ofFSHRandCYP17A1was not different between groups in small and medium follicles, butLHCGRexpression was approximately double in I+B+ ewes compared to that in ++ ewes. Thus, ewes with high ovulation rates had a distinct pattern of expression ofCARTPTmRNA and protein compared to ewes with normal ovulation rates, providing evidence for CART being important in the regulation of ovulation rate.
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35
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Graham MD, Gardner Gregory J, Hussain D, Brake WG, Pfaus JG. Ovarian steroids alter dopamine receptor populations in the medial preoptic area of female rats: implications for sexual motivation, desire, and behaviour. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 42:3138-48. [PMID: 26536143 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) transmission in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) plays a critical role in the control of appetitive sexual behaviour in the female rat. We have shown previously that a DA D1 receptor (D1R)-mediated excitatory state appears to occur in females primed with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P), whereas a DA D2 receptor (D2R)-mediated inhibitory state appears to occur in females primed only with EB. The present experiment employed three techniques to better understand what changes occur to DA receptors (DARs) in the mPOA under different hormonal profiles. Ovariectomized females were randomly assigned to one of three steroid treatment groups: EB + P (10 and 500 μg, respectively), EB + Oil, or the control (Oil + Oil), with hormone injections administered at 48 and 4 h prior to euthanizing. First, the number of neurons in the mPOA that contained D1R or D2R was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Second, the mPOA and two control areas (the prelimbic cortex and caudate putamen) were analysed for DAR protein levels using western blot, and DAR functional binding levels using autoradiography. Ovarian steroid hormones affected the two DAR subtypes in opposite ways in the mPOA. All three techniques supported previous behavioural findings that females primed with EB have a lower D1R : D2R ratio, and thus a D2R-mediated system, and females primed with EB + P have a higher D1R : D2R ratio, and thus a D1R-mediated system. This provides strong evidence for a DA-driven pathway of female sexual motivation, desire, and behaviour that is modified by different hormone priming regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dean Graham
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montréal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
| | - James Gardner Gregory
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montréal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
| | - Dema Hussain
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montréal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
| | - Wayne G Brake
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montréal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
| | - James G Pfaus
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montréal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
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36
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Grasa P, Sheikh S, Krzys N, Millar K, Janjua S, Nawaggi P, Williams SA. Dysregulation of follicle development in a mouse model of premature ovarian insufficiency. Reproduction 2016; 152:591-601. [PMID: 27581083 PMCID: PMC5111581 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) occurs in 1% of reproductive-age women. The ovarian manifestation ranges from the presence of a variable population of follicles (follicular) to the absence of follicles (afollicular), and in the majority of cases the cause is unknown. A transgenic mouse model of follicular POI, the Double Mutant (DM), arises from oocyte-specific deletion of Mgat1 and C1galt1 required for the generation of O- and N-glycans. DM females are subfertile at 6 weeks, infertile by 9 weeks and exhibit POI by 12 weeks of age. In this study we investigate the cause of the reduced fertility at 6 weeks and infertility at 9 weeks of DM females. Ovary sections were used to analyse follicle and corpora lutea (CL) numbers, apoptosis, and levels of laminin and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase using immunohistochemistry. After POI, DM females unexpectedly remained sexually receptive. At both 6 and 9 weeks, DM ovaries contained more primary follicles, however, at 9 weeks DM follicles were proportionally healthier, revealed by TUNEL analysis compared with Controls. In 9 week DM ovaries (collected post-mating), secondary follicles had theca and basal lamina structure abnormalities, whilst preovulatory follicles failed to ovulate resulting in the presence of numerous luteinised unruptured follicles, indicative of ovulation failure. Finally, DM ovaries contained more regressing CL with decreased luteal cell apoptosis indicative of a defect in CL regression. Identifying these follicular modifications have provided insight into the aetiology of a model of POI and highlight targets to investigate with the hope of developing new fertility treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Grasa
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - S Sheikh
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - N Krzys
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK Department of PhysiologyAnatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - K Millar
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - S Janjua
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK Department of PhysiologyAnatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - P Nawaggi
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - S A Williams
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
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Zimmermann-Peruzatto JM, Lazzari VM, Agnes G, Becker RO, de Moura AC, Guedes RP, Lucion AB, Almeida S, Giovenardi M. The Impact of Oxytocin Gene Knockout on Sexual Behavior and Gene Expression Related to Neuroendocrine Systems in the Brain of Female Mice. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2016; 37:803-815. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-016-0419-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Bo E, Farinetti A, Marraudino M, Sterchele D, Eva C, Gotti S, Panzica G. Adult exposure to tributyltin affects hypothalamic neuropeptide Y, Y1 receptor distribution, and circulating leptin in mice. Andrology 2016; 4:723-34. [PMID: 27310180 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Tributyltin (TBT), a pesticide used in antifouling paints, is toxic for aquatic invertebrates. In vertebrates, TBT may act in obesogen- inducing adipogenetic gene transcription for adipocyte differentiation. In a previous study, we demonstrated that acute administration of TBT induces c-fos expression in the arcuate nucleus. Therefore, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that adult exposure to TBT may alter a part of the nervous pathways controlling animal food intake. In particular, we investigated the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity. This neuropeptide forms neural circuits dedicated to food assumption and its action is mediated by Y1 receptors that are widely expressed in the hypothalamic nuclei responsible for the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. To this purpose, TBT was orally administered at a dose of 0.025 mg/kg/day/body weight to adult animals [male and female C57BL/6 (Y1-LacZ transgenic mice] for 4 weeks. No differences were found in body weight and fat deposition, but we observed a significant increase in feed efficiency in TBT-treated male mice and a significant decrease in circulating leptin in both sexes. Computerized quantitative analysis of NPY immunoreactivity and Y1-related β-galactosidase activity demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in NPY and Y1 transgene expression in the hypothalamic circuit controlling food intake of treated male mice in comparison with controls. In conclusion, the present results indicate that adult exposure to TBT is profoundly interfering with the nervous circuits involved in the stimulation of food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Bo
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - A Farinetti
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - M Marraudino
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - D Sterchele
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - C Eva
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - S Gotti
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
| | - G Panzica
- Department Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri-Ottolenghi (NICO), Torino, Italy
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The ventromedial hypothalamus oxytocin induces locomotor behavior regulated by estrogen. Physiol Behav 2016; 164:107-12. [PMID: 27237044 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Our previous studies demonstrated that excitation of neurons in the rat ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) induced locomotor activity. An oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) exists in the VMH and plays a role in regulating sexual behavior. However, the role of Oxtr in the VMH in locomotor activity is not clear. In this study we examined the roles of oxytocin in the VMH in running behavior, and also investigated the involvement of estrogen in this behavioral change. Microinjection of oxytocin into the VMH induced a dose-dependent increase in the running behavior in male rats. The oxytocin-induced running activity was inhibited by simultaneous injection of Oxtr-antagonist, (d(CH2)5(1), Try(Me)(2), Orn(8))-oxytocin. Oxytocin injection also induced running behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. Pretreatment of the OVX rats with estrogen augmented the oxytocin-induced running activity twofold, and increased the Oxtr mRNA in the VMH threefold. During the estrus cycle locomotor activity spontaneously increased in the dark period of proestrus. The Oxtr mRNA was up-regulated in the proestrus afternoon. Blockade of oxytocin neurotransmission by its antagonist before the onset of the dark period of proestrus decreased the following nocturnal locomotor activity. These findings demonstrate that Oxtr in the VMH is involved in the induction of running behavior and that estrogen facilitates this effect by means of Oxtr up-regulation, suggesting the involvement of oxytocin in the locomotor activity of proestrus female rats.
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Kerver HN, Wade J. Sexually dimorphic expression of CREB binding protein in the green anole brain. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 225:55-60. [PMID: 26363452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Green anoles are seasonally breeding lizards in which male sexual behavior is primarily regulated by an annual increase in testosterone. This hormone activates stereotyped behaviors, as well as morphological and biochemical changes in the brain, with greater effect in the breeding season than in the non-breeding season. This study is the first description of CREB binding protein (CBP) in the reptilian brain, and investigates the possibility that changes in CBP, an androgen receptor coactivator, may facilitate differences in responsiveness to testosterone across seasons. A portion of this gene was cloned for the green anole, and in situ hybridization was performed to examine the expression of CBP in the brains of gonadally intact male and female green anoles across breeding states. Additionally, hormonal regulation of CBP was evaluated across sex and season in animals that were gonadectomized and treated with testosterone or a control. Similar to other vertebrates, CBP was expressed at relatively high levels in steroid-sensitive brain regions. In the anole ventromedial amygdala, CBP mRNA levels were nearly twice as high in gonadally intact females compared to males. In contrast, CBP expression did not differ across seasons or hormone manipulation in this brain region. No significant effects were detected in the preoptic area or ventromedial hypothalamus. This pattern suggests that CBP might influence female-biased functions controlled by the ventromedial amygdala, but is not consistent with a role in mediating seasonal differences in responsiveness to testosterone in these areas associated with reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halie N Kerver
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1101, United States.
| | - Juli Wade
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1101, United States; Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1101, United States
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41
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Coumailleau P, Kah O. Expression of the cyp19a1 gene in the adult brain of Xenopus is neuronal and not sexually dimorphic. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 221:203-12. [PMID: 26255686 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The last step of oestrogen biosynthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme aromatase, the product of the cyp19a1 gene. In vertebrates, cyp19a1 is expressed in the brain resulting in a local oestrogen production that seems important not only for the control of reproduction-related circuits and sexual behaviour, but also for the regulation of neural development, synaptic plasticity and cell survival. In adult amphibians, the precise sites of expression of cyp19a1 in the brain have not been investigated which prevents proper understanding of its potential physiological functions. The present study aimed at examining the precise neuroanatomical distribution of cyp19a1 transcripts in adult brains of both male and female Xenopus. We found that cyp19a1 expression is highly regionalized in the brains of both sexes. The highest expression was found in the anterior part of the preoptic area and in the caudal hypothalamus, but significant levels of cyp19a1 transcripts were also found in the supraoptic paraventricular and suprachiasmatic areas, and in brain regions corresponding to the septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and amygdala. Importantly, no obvious difference between male and female Xenopus was detected at the level of cyp19a1 transcripts. Additionally, in the brain of adult Xenopus, cyp19a1 transcripts were detected in neurons, and not in glial cells. These data and those available in other vertebrates on cyp19a1/aromatase expression suggest that, with the intriguing exception of teleost fishes, cyp19a1 was under strong evolutionary conservation with respect to its sites of expression and the nature of the cells in which it is expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Coumailleau
- Research Institute in Health, Environment and Occupation, INSERM U1085, SFR Biosite, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35 042 Rennes cedex, France.
| | - Olivier Kah
- Research Institute in Health, Environment and Occupation, INSERM U1085, SFR Biosite, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35 042 Rennes cedex, France
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42
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Ervin KSJ, Lymer JM, Matta R, Clipperton-Allen AE, Kavaliers M, Choleris E. Estrogen involvement in social behavior in rodents: Rapid and long-term actions. Horm Behav 2015; 74:53-76. [PMID: 26122289 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue ("Estradiol and cognition"). Estrogens have repeatedly been shown to influence a wide array of social behaviors, which in rodents are predominantly olfactory-mediated. Estrogens are involved in social behavior at multiple levels of processing, from the detection and integration of socially relevant olfactory information to more complex social behaviors, including social preferences, aggression and dominance, and learning and memory for social stimuli (e.g. social recognition and social learning). Three estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα, ERβ, and the G protein-coupled ER 1 (GPER1), differently affect these behaviors. Social recognition, territorial aggression, and sexual preferences and mate choice, all requiring the integration of socially related olfactory information, seem to primarily involve ERα, with ERβ playing a lesser, modulatory role. In contrast, social learning consistently responds differently to estrogen manipulations than other social behaviors. This suggests differential ER involvement in brain regions important for specific social behaviors, such as the ventromedial and medial preoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus in social preferences and aggression, the medial amygdala and hippocampus in social recognition, and the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in social learning. While the long-term effects of ERα and ERβ on social behavior have been extensively investigated, our knowledge of the rapid, non-genomic, effects of estrogens is more limited and suggests that they may mediate some social behaviors (e.g. social learning) differently from long-term effects. Further research is required to compare ER involvement in regulating social behavior in male and female animals, and to further elucidate the roles of the more recently described G protein-coupled ERs, both the GPER1 and the Gq-mER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy S J Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Lymer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard Matta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Martin Kavaliers
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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43
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Askew ML, Muckelrath HD, Johnston JR, Curtis KS. Neuroanatomical association of hypothalamic HSD2-containing neurons with ERα, catecholamines, or oxytocin: implications for feeding? Front Syst Neurosci 2015; 9:91. [PMID: 26124709 PMCID: PMC4466453 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study used immunohistochemical methods to investigate the possibility that hypothalamic neurons that contain 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2) are involved in the control of feeding by rats via neuroanatomical associations with the α subtype of estrogen receptor (ERα), catecholamines, and/or oxytocin (OT). An aggregate of HSD2-containing neurons is located laterally in the hypothalamus, and the numbers of these neurons were greatly increased by estradiol treatment in ovariectomized (OVX) rats compared to numbers in male rats and in OVX rats that were not given estradiol. However, HSD2-containing neurons were anatomically segregated from ERα-containing neurons in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus and the Arcuate Nucleus. There was an absence of OT-immunolabeled fibers in the area of HSD2-labeled neurons. Taken together, these findings provide no support for direct associations between hypothalamic HSD2 and ERα or OT neurons in the control of feeding. In contrast, there was catecholamine-fiber labeling in the area of HSD2-labeled neurons, and these fibers occasionally were in close apposition to HSD2-labeled neurons. Therefore, we cannot rule out interactions between HSD2 and catecholamines in the control of feeding; however, given the relative sparseness of the appositions, any such interaction would appear to be modest. Thus, these studies do not conclusively identify a neuroanatomical substrate by which HSD2-containing neurons in the hypothalamus may alter feeding, and leave the functional role of hypothalamic HSD2-containing neurons subject to further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maegan L Askew
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Halie D Muckelrath
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Jonathon R Johnston
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Kathleen S Curtis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences Tulsa, OK, USA
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44
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Kerver HN, Wade J. Hormonal regulation of steroid receptor coactivator-1 mRNA in the male and female green anole brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2015; 27:223-33. [PMID: 25557947 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Green anole lizards are seasonal breeders, with male sexual behaviour primarily regulated by an annual increase in testosterone. Morphological, biochemical and behavioural changes associated with reproduction are activated by testosterone, generally with a greater effect in the breeding season (BS) than in the nonbreeding season (NBS). The present study investigates the possibility that differences in a steroid receptor coactivator may regulate this seasonal difference in responsiveness to testosterone. In situ hybridisation was used to examine the expression of steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) in the brains of gonadally intact male and female green anoles across breeding states. A second experiment examined gonadectomised animals with and without testosterone treatment. Gonadally intact males had more SRC-1 expressing cells in the preoptic area and larger volumes of this region as defined by these cells than females. Main effects of both sex and season (males > females and BS > NBS) were present in cell number and volume of the ventromedial hypothalamus. An interaction between sex and season suggested that high expression in BS males was driving these effects. In hormone-manipulated animals, testosterone treatment increased both the number of SRC-1 expressing cells in and volumes of the preoptic area and amygdala. These results suggest that testosterone selectively regulates SRC-1, and that this coactivator may play a role in facilitating reproductive behaviours across both sexes. However, changes in SRC-1 expression are not likely responsible for the seasonal change in responsiveness to testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- H N Kerver
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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45
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Kerver HN, Wade J. Relationships among sex, season and testosterone in the expression of androgen receptor mRNA and protein in the green anole forebrain. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2014; 84:303-14. [PMID: 25471151 DOI: 10.1159/000368388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sexual behavior in male green anole lizards is regulated by a seasonal increase in testosterone (T). However, T is much more effective at activating behavioral, morphological and biochemical changes related to reproduction in the breeding season (BS; spring) compared to nonbreeding season (NBS; fall). An increase in androgen receptor (AR) during the BS is one potential mechanism for this differential responsiveness. AR expression has not been investigated in specific brain regions across seasons in anoles. The present studies were designed to determine relative AR expression in areas important for male (preoptic area, ventromedial amygdala) and female (ventromedial hypothalamus) sexual behavior, as well as whether T upregulates AR in the anole brain. In situ hybridization and Western blot analyses were performed in unmanipulated animals across sex and season, as well as in gonadectomized animals with and without T treatment. Among hormone-manipulated animals, more cells expressing AR mRNA were detected in females than males in the amygdala. T treatment increased the volume of the ventromedial hypothalamus of gonadectomized animals in the BS, but not the NBS. AR protein in dissections of the hypothalamus and preoptic area was increased in males compared to females specifically in the BS. Additionally, among females, it was increased in the NBS compared to the BS. Collectively, these results indicate that differences in central AR expression probably do not facilitate a seasonal responsiveness to T. However, they are consistent with a role for AR in regulating some differences between sexes in the display of reproductive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halie N Kerver
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., USA
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46
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Verschure PFMJ, Pennartz CMA, Pezzulo G. The why, what, where, when and how of goal-directed choice: neuronal and computational principles. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2014; 369:20130483. [PMID: 25267825 PMCID: PMC4186236 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The central problems that goal-directed animals must solve are: 'What do I need and Why, Where and When can this be obtained, and How do I get it?' or the H4W problem. Here, we elucidate the principles underlying the neuronal solutions to H4W using a combination of neurobiological and neurorobotic approaches. First, we analyse H4W from a system-level perspective by mapping its objectives onto the Distributed Adaptive Control embodied cognitive architecture which sees the generation of adaptive action in the real world as the primary task of the brain rather than optimally solving abstract problems. We next map this functional decomposition to the architecture of the rodent brain to test its consistency. Following this approach, we propose that the mammalian brain solves the H4W problem on the basis of multiple kinds of outcome predictions, integrating central representations of needs and drives (e.g. hypothalamus), valence (e.g. amygdala), world, self and task state spaces (e.g. neocortex, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, respectively) combined with multi-modal selection (e.g. basal ganglia). In our analysis, goal-directed behaviour results from a well-structured architecture in which goals are bootstrapped on the basis of predefined needs, valence and multiple learning, memory and planning mechanisms rather than being generated by a singular computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F M J Verschure
- Laboratory of Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS), Center of Autonomous Systems and Neurorobotics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Giovanni Pezzulo
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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Tsukahara S, Kanaya M, Yamanouchi K. Neuroanatomy and sex differences of the lordosis-inhibiting system in the lateral septum. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:299. [PMID: 25278832 PMCID: PMC4166118 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Female sexual behavior in rodents, termed lordosis, is controlled by facilitatory and inhibitory systems in the brain. It has been well demonstrated that a neural pathway from the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN) to the midbrain central gray (MCG) is essential for facilitatory regulation of lordosis. The neural pathway from the arcuate nucleus to the VMN, via the medial preoptic nucleus, in female rats mediates transient suppression of lordosis, until female sexual receptivity is induced. In addition to this pathway, other regions are involved in inhibitory regulation of lordosis in female rats. The lordosis-inhibiting systems exist not only in the female brain but also in the male brain. The systems contribute to suppression of heterotypical sexual behavior in male rats, although they have the potential ability to display lordosis. The lateral septum (LS) exerts an inhibitory influence on lordosis in both female and male rats. This review focuses on the neuroanatomy and sex differences of the lordosis-inhibiting system in the LS. The LS functionally and anatomically links to the MCG to exert suppression of lordosis. Neurons of the intermediate part of the LS (LSi) serve as lordosis-inhibiting neurons and project axons to the MCG. The LSi-MCG neural connection is sexually dimorphic, and formation of the male-like LSi-MCG neural connection is affected by aromatized testosterone originating from the testes in the postnatal period. The sexually dimorphic LSi-MCG neural connection may reflect the morphological basis of sex differences in the inhibitory regulation of lordosis in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Tsukahara
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University Saitama, Japan
| | - Moeko Kanaya
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University Saitama, Japan
| | - Korehito Yamanouchi
- Department of Human Behavior and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University Saitama, Japan
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48
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Veening JG, de Jong TR, Waldinger MD, Korte SM, Olivier B. The role of oxytocin in male and female reproductive behavior. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 753:209-28. [PMID: 25088178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a nonapeptide with an impressive variety of physiological functions. Among them, the 'prosocial' effects have been discussed in several recent reviews, but the direct effects on male and female sexual behavior did receive much less attention so far. As our contribution to honor the lifelong interest of Berend Olivier in the control mechanisms of sexual behavior, we decided to explore the role of OT in the present review. In the successive sections, some physiological mechanisms and the 'pair-bonding' effects of OT will be discussed, followed by sections about desire, female appetitive and copulatory behavior, including lordosis and orgasm. At the male side, the effects on erection and ejaculation are reviewed, followed by a section about 'premature ejaculation' and a possible role of OT in its treatment. In addition to OT, serotonin receives some attention as one of the main mechanisms controlling the effects of OT. In the succeeding sections, the importance of OT for 'the fruits of labor' is discussed, as it plays an important role in both maternal and paternal behavior. Finally, we pay attention to an intriguing brain area, the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMHvl), apparently functioning in both sexual and aggressive behavior, which are at first view completely opposite behavioral systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Veening
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Anatomy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - T R de Jong
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - M D Waldinger
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - S M Korte
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - B Olivier
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Scerbo MJ, Freire-Regatillo A, Cisternas CD, Brunotto M, Arevalo MA, Garcia-Segura LM, Cambiasso MJ. Neurogenin 3 mediates sex chromosome effects on the generation of sex differences in hypothalamic neuronal development. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:188. [PMID: 25071448 PMCID: PMC4086225 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The organizational action of testosterone during critical periods of development is the cause of numerous sex differences in the brain. However, sex differences in neuritogenesis have been detected in primary neuronal hypothalamic cultures prepared before the peak of testosterone production by fetal testis. In the present study we assessed the hypothesis of that cell-autonomous action of sex chromosomes can differentially regulate the expression of the neuritogenic gene neurogenin 3 (Ngn3) in male and female hypothalamic neurons, generating sex differences in neuronal development. Neuronal cultures were prepared from male and female E14 mouse hypothalami, before the fetal peak of testosterone. Female neurons showed enhanced neuritogenesis and higher expression of Ngn3 than male neurons. The silencing of Ngn3 abolished sex differences in neuritogenesis, decreasing the differentiation of female neurons. The sex difference in Ngn3 expression was determined by sex chromosomes, as demonstrated using the four core genotypes mouse model, in which a spontaneous deletion of the testis-determining gene Sry from the Y chromosome was combined with the insertion of the Sry gene onto an autosome. In addition, the expression of Ngn3, which is also known to mediate the neuritogenic actions of estradiol, was increased in the cultures treated with the hormone, but only in those from male embryos. Furthermore, the hormone reversed the sex differences in neuritogenesis promoting the differentiation of male neurons. These findings indicate that Ngn3 mediates both cell-autonomous actions of sex chromosomes and hormonal effects on neuritogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J Scerbo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Carla D Cisternas
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina ; Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mabel Brunotto
- Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria A Arevalo
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Madrid, Spain
| | | | - María J Cambiasso
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina ; Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina
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50
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Neural mechanisms of female sexual behavior in the rat; comparison with male ejaculatory control. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2014; 121:16-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Revised: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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