1
|
Grieb ZA, Ross AP, McCann KE, Lee S, Welch M, Gomez MG, Norvelle A, Michopoulos V, Huhman KL, Albers HE. Sex-dependent effects of social status on the regulation of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) V1a, oxytocin (OT), and serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor binding and aggression in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Horm Behav 2021; 127:104878. [PMID: 33148500 PMCID: PMC8889570 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [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: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dominance status in hamsters is driven by interactions between arginine-vasopressin V1a, oxytocin (OT), and serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptors. Activation of V1a and OT receptors in the anterior hypothalamus (AH) increases aggression in males, while decreasing aggression in females. In contrast, activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the AH decreases aggression in males and increases aggression in females. The mechanism underlying these differences is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if dominance status and sex interact to regulate V1a, OT, and 5-HT1A receptor binding. Same-sex hamsters (N = 47) were paired 12 times across six days in five min sessions. Brains from paired and unpaired (non-social control) hamsters were collected immediately after the last interaction and processed for receptor binding using autoradiography. Differences in V1a, OT, and 5-HT1A receptor binding densities were observed in several brain regions as a function of social status and sex. For example, in the AH, there was an interaction between sex and social status, such that V1a binding in subordinate males was lower than in subordinate females and V1a receptor density in dominant males was higher than in dominant females. There was also an interaction in 5-HT1A receptor binding, such that social pairing increased 5-HT1A binding in the AH of males but decreased 5-HT1A binding in females compared with unpaired controls. These results indicate that dominance status and sex play important roles in shaping the binding profiles of key receptor subtypes across the neural circuitry that regulates social behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Z A Grieb
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America.
| | - A P Ross
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - K E McCann
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - S Lee
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - M Welch
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - M G Gomez
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - A Norvelle
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - V Michopoulos
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - K L Huhman
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| | - H E Albers
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United State of America
| |
Collapse
|