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Yamamoto S, Arakaki R, Noguchi H, Takeda A, Uchishiba M, Kamada S, Mineda A, Kon M, Kinouchi R, Yamamoto Y, Yoshida K, Kaji T, Shinohara N, Iwasa T. Kisspeptin administration may promote precopulatory behavior in male rats independently or supplementally to testosterone and contribute to proceptive behavior in female partners, reducing mating failure. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 353:114528. [PMID: 38643848 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Kisspeptin is a peptide that plays an important role through its effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. It has also been implicated in sexual behavior. The present study investigated whether the relationship between kisspeptin and sexual behavior is independent of the HPG axis, i.e., testosterone. Sexual behavior was examined after the administration of kisspeptin to gonadally intact male rats and gonadectomized male rats that received testosterone supplementation. Other male rats were also observed for sexual behavior once a week from 2 to 5 weeks after gonadectomy and receiving kisspeptin for the sixth postoperative week. Sexual behavior in female rats serving as the partner for each male was also observed. Female rats were not administered kisspeptin in the present study. The results obtained showed that the administration of kisspeptin increased precopulatory behavior in gonadally intact male rats and gonadectomized male rats that received testosterone supplementation and proceptive behavior in their female partners. Precopulatory behavior in males and receptive behavior in females increased, while copulatory behavior in males and receptive behavior in females remained unchanged. Furthermore, the administration of kisspeptin increased precopulatory behavior in gonadectomized males, but did not affect receptive behavior in females. These results suggest that kisspeptin affected males independently and/or supplementally to testosterone, and also that changes in the presence of testosterone in males had an impact on proceptive behavior in their female partners. In conclusion, kisspeptin may involve an as-yet-unidentified neural pathway in sexual desire independently of the HPG axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Yamamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan; Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Arakaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroki Noguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Asuka Takeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Maimi Uchishiba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Shuhei Kamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Ayuka Mineda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Masafumi Kon
- Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan
| | - Riyo Kinouchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Yuri Yamamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Kanako Yoshida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Takashi Kaji
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan
| | - Nobuo Shinohara
- Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan
| | - Takeshi Iwasa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan.
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Rudzinskas SA, Mong JA. Androgen-primed castrate males are sufficient for methamphetamine-facilitated increases in proceptive behavior in female rats. Horm Behav 2016; 78:52-9. [PMID: 26497407 PMCID: PMC4718754 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Methamphetamine (MA) is a psychomotor stimulant associated with increases in sex drive in both men and women. Women, however, are far more likely to face social disadvantages as a consequence of MA use, and their increased sexual motivation poses additional health concerns such as unplanned pregnancies. To better understand the mechanisms underlying MA-facilitated sexual motivation in females, we previously established a rodent model where a "binge"-type administration paradigm of MA to sexually receptive female rats significantly increases proceptive behavior in the presence of a sexually active, gonadally-intact male. Our previous work with this model has led us to consider whether the increases in proceptive behavior are truly indicative of increased sexual motivation, or instead a consequence of heightened motor responsivity. Here, we test whether MA-induced increases in proceptive behaviors are specific to a sexually relevant stimulus. Females' sexual, social, exploratory behaviors, and interaction times were scored during the exposure to stimulus males, including castrates, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated castrates. MA-treated females demonstrated significant increases in proceptive behaviors toward DHT-treated castrate males but not toward castrate males. While the non-MA-treated females did display proceptive behavior, there was no significant difference between behaviors elicited by DHT-CX males compared to CX males. Our results support the hypothesis that MA facilitates proceptive behavior only in response to specific, androgen mediated sexually-relevant cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Rudzinskas
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Holder MK, Veichweg SS, Mong JA. Methamphetamine-enhanced female sexual motivation is dependent on dopamine and progesterone signaling in the medial amygdala. Horm Behav 2015; 67:1-11. [PMID: 25448531 PMCID: PMC4291296 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) is a psychomotor stimulant strongly associated with increases in sexual drive and impulsive sexual behaviors that often lead to unsafe sexual practices. In women METH users, such practices have been associated with increases in unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Despite this significant heath concern, the neural mechanisms underlying this drug-sex association are not known. We previously established a rodent model of METH-facilitated female sexual behavior in which estradiol and progesterone interact with METH to increase motivational components of female behavior and neuronal activation in the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) (Holder et al., 2010; Holder and Mong, 2010). The current study more directly examines the mechanisms underlying the drug-sex interaction. Here, we hypothesize that METH-induced increases in MePD dopamine signaling bridge the METH-hormone interaction. In support of this hypothesis, we found that excitotoxic lesions targeted to the MePD attenuated the METH-induced increases in proceptive behavior. Furthermore, infusion of a D1 agonist into the MePD increased proceptive behavior, while infusion of a D1 antagonist blocked the ability of METH to increase proceptive behaviors. Additionally, we found that METH-treatment increased progesterone receptor (PR) immunoreactivity in the MePD, suggesting an interaction between dopamine and progesterone signaling. Indeed, infusions of the PR antagonist, RU486, prevented METH-induced increases in sexual behavior. Thus, taken together, the current findings suggest that dopamine in the MePD modulates enhanced sexual motivation via an amplification of progesterone signaling and contributes to a better understanding of the neurobiology of drug-enhanced sexual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Holder
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Shaun S Veichweg
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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