A Labeled-Line Neural Circuit for Pheromone-Mediated Sexual Behaviors in Mice

Ishii, Kaneo; Osakada, Takuya; Mori, Hiromi; Miyasaka, Nobuhiko; Yoshihara, Yoshihiro; Miyamichi, Kazunari; Touhara, Kazushige

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.05.038

Cited by 151 publications

(154 citation statements)

References 46 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

144

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Recent studies have shown that specific activation of aromatase neurons in the MeA promotes aggressive behaviors (Unger et al, 2015), and that reproductive sensory cues are processed by both the MeApv (Ishii et al, 2017) and the MeApd (Choi et al, 2005;Bergan et al, 2014). The overlapping control of aggressive and reproductive behaviors in the MeA mirrors the neuroethological argument that aggression is best understood as a component of reproductive behavior (Tinbergen, 1951).…”

Section: The Role Of Oxt In Mea Processing Of Sex-specific Cues In Mamentioning

confidence: 96%

Oxytocin Signaling in the Medial Amygdala is required for Sex Discrimination of Social Cues

Yao

Bergan

Lanjuin

et al. 2017

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The neural control of social behaviors in rodents requires the encoding of pheromonal cues by the vomeronasal system. Here we show that the typical preference of male mice for females is eliminated in mutants lacking oxytocin, a neuropeptide modulating social behaviors in many species. Ablation of the oxytocin receptor in aromatase expressing neurons of the medial amygdala (MeA) fully recapitulates the elimination of female preference in males. Further, single unit recording in the MeA uncovered significant changes in the sensory representation of conspecific cues in the absence of oxytocin signaling. Finally, acute manipulation of oxytocin signaling in adults is sufficient to alter social interaction preferences in males as well as responses of MeA neurons to chemosensory cues. These results uncover the critical role of oxytocin signaling in a molecularly defined neuronal population in order to modulate the behavioral and physiological responses of male mice to females on a moment-to-moment basis.

show abstract

Section: The Role Of Oxt In Mea Processing Of Sex-specific Cues In Mamentioning

confidence: 96%

Oxytocin Signaling in the Medial Amygdala is required for Sex Discrimination of Social Cues

Yao

Bergan

Lanjuin

et al. 2017

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Crosstalk Between Hormone Signaling and Neural Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This process could induce sex differences in gene expression in areas that do not express steroid hormone receptors. (c) A stimulus may activate distinct populations of neurons in the same brain area in males and females (Ishii et al, 2017), causing sex differences in both local activityresponsive genes and in the two downstream target brain areas 9 | EMERGING THEMES: INTEGRATING FINDINGS ACROSS THE FIELD In this section, we will discuss a few recent publications that provide significant insight into the biology of sex differences in gene expression. Table 1 lists the brain regions studied and key genes identified in these papers, along with additional examples in which transcriptomic screens for sex differences were performed.…”

Section: Crosstalk Between Hormone Signaling and Neural Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Signatures of sex: Sex differences in gene expression in the vertebrate brain

Gegenhuber

Tollkühn

2019

WIREs Developmental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Women and men differ in disease prevalence, symptoms, and progression rates for many psychiatric and neurological disorders. As more preclinical studies include both sexes in experimental design, an increasing number of sex differences in physiology and behavior have been reported. In the brain, sex‐typical behaviors are thought to result from sex‐specific patterns of neural activity in response to the same sensory stimulus or context. These differential firing patterns likely arise as a consequence of underlying anatomic or molecular sex differences. Accordingly, gene expression in the brains of females and males has been extensively investigated, with the goal of identifying biological pathways that specify or modulate sex differences in brain function. However, there is surprisingly little consensus on sex‐biased genes across studies and only a handful of robust candidates have been pursued in the follow‐up experiments. Furthermore, it is not known how or when sex‐biased gene expression originates, as few studies have been performed in the developing brain. Here we integrate molecular genetic and neural circuit perspectives to provide a conceptual framework of how sex differences in gene expression can arise in the brain. We detail mechanisms of gene regulation by steroid hormones, highlight landmark studies in rodents and humans, identify emerging themes, and offer recommendations for future research. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Regulatory Mechanisms Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Sex Determination

show abstract

“…Since SF1-expressing neurons have been shown to be activated by various predator cues, we analyzed the neural representation of ratCRP1 using cellar compartment analysis of temporal activity by fluorescence ISH (catFISH), with snake skin acting as a reference [32]. Unidentified compounds in snake skin activate mouse V2Rs and induce risk assessment behaviors in a manner that is dependent on a functional VNO [9,10].…”

Section: Ratcrp1 Signals Are Conveyed To the Medial Amygdala And Vmhmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of an Intra- and Inter-specific Tear Protein Signal in Rodents

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rodents use the vomeronasal olfactory system to acquire both inter- and intra-specific information from the external environment and take appropriate actions. For example, urinary proteins from predator species elicit avoidance in mice, while those from male mice attract female mice. In addition to urinary proteins, recent studies have highlighted the importance of lacrimal proteins for intra-specific communications in mice. However, whether the tear fluid of other species also mediates social signals remains unknown. Here, we show that a lacrimal protein in rats (predators of mice), called cystatin-related protein 1 (ratCRP1), activates the vomeronasal system of mice. This protein is specifically produced by adult male rats in a steroid hormone-dependent manner, activates the vomeronasal system of female rats, and enhances stopping behavior. When detected by mice, ratCRP1 activates the medial hypothalamic defensive circuit, resulting in decreased locomotion coupled with lowered body temperature and heart rate. Notably, ratCRP1 is recognized by multiple murine type 2 vomeronasal receptors, including Vmn2r28. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of vmn2r28 impaired both ratCRP1-induced neural activation of the hypothalamic center and decrease of locomotor activity in mice. Taken together, these data reveal the neural and molecular basis by which a tear fluid compound in rats affects the behavior of mice. Furthermore, our study reveals a case in which a single compound that mediates an intra-specific signal in a predator species also functions as an inter-specific signal in the prey species.

show abstract

A Labeled-Line Neural Circuit for Pheromone-Mediated Sexual Behaviors in Mice

Cited by 151 publications

References 46 publications

Oxytocin Signaling in the Medial Amygdala is required for Sex Discrimination of Social Cues

Oxytocin Signaling in the Medial Amygdala is required for Sex Discrimination of Social Cues

Signatures of sex: Sex differences in gene expression in the vertebrate brain

Identification of an Intra- and Inter-specific Tear Protein Signal in Rodents

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About