The accessory olfactory system and its role in the pheromonally mediated suppression of oestrus in grouped mice

Reynolds, J J; Keverne, E.B.

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.0570031

Cited by 122 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Similarly, mating-induced release of LH in OVX estrogen-primed rats can be suppressed by removal of the VNO [13]. In mice, several primer pheromonal re sponses such as the Bruce effect [23], the Lee-Boot effect 903 [24], and the Vandenbergh effect [25] are mediated through the vomeronasal system. Even though the primer pheromonal responses in mice are known for several de cades, the primary effect of the male pheromones on the female endocrine system is ill-defined.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Male Rats on the Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in Female Rats: Role of the Vomeronasal Organ

1993

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Olfactory information processed by the vomeronasal system is reported to influence reproductive functions in a variety of mammals. The present studies were designed to determine if male-associated cues affect the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) neuronal system, and, if so, to determine the extent to which these cues are processed by the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Ovariectomized rats underwent VNO removal (VNX) or sham surgery (VN-Sham). Forty-eight hours after estrogen priming (5 µg), they were subjected to one of the following treatments: repeated mating, repeated exposure to male-soiled bedding or repeated exposure to clean bedding. In animals treated for 180 min, coronal brain sections were double labelled for Fos protein and LHRH. An intense Fos immunoreactivity was induced following mating in the majority of LHRH neurons in the VN-Sham females, whereas removal of the VNO significantly suppressed the mating-induced Fos staining. Exposure of female rats to male-soiled bedding or clean bedding did not induce appreciable Fos immunoreactivity in LHRH neurons. Following 90 min of mating or exposure to bedding, blood samples were assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH). Mating stimulated the release of LH in VN-Sham females, while the removal of the VNO significantly suppressed the mating-induced LH release. Exposure of the females to male-soiled bedding or clean bedding did not induce an LH surge. The present results demonstrate that male-originating sensory cues (i.e. repeated mating) can influence the LHRH neuronal system, as evidenced by the presence of Fos immunoreactivity in LHRH cell bodies, and indicate that this effect is mediated through the VNO to a certain extent. The lack of Fos immunoreactivity in the LHRH neurons of females exposed to male-soiled bedding and the inability of male-soiled bedding to induce LH release suggest that male-soiled bedding is not as effective as mating in activating the vomeronasal system in rats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Male Rats on the Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in Female Rats: Role of the Vomeronasal Organ

1993

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“…The fact that pregnancy block cannot occur after implantation suggests that the effect of male primer pheromones is on the pre¬ implantation hormonal status. In both the block to pregnancy and the induction of oestrus, the primary endocrine change is a fall in serum prolactin (Reynolds & Keverne, 1979;Ryan & Schwartz, 1980;Keverne, 1982;Marchlewska-Koj, 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restricted exposure of mice to primer pheromones coincident with prolactin surges blocks pregnancy by changing hypothalamic dopamine release

Rosser¹,

Remfry²,

Keverne³

1989

Reproduction

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Summary. Exposure of recently mated female mice to strange male urine revealed that exposure for 8 h was sufficient to produce pregnancy block providing exposure is for two 4-h periods coincident with prolactin surges. Exposure for 8 h between prolactin surges or one 4-h exposure coincident with either the nocturnal or the diurnal prolactin surge was without effect. When bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, was given coincident with the nocturnal and diurnal prolactin surges, it was equally effective, but the opiate antagonist (naltrexone) administered in a similar manner was without effect. This result indicates that pheromonal action is through excitation of the tuberoinfundibular neurones rather than by inhibition of \g=b\-endorphin neurones. Further evidence for dopamine involvement in pregnancy block is demonstrated by showing DOPA accumulation in the medio-basal hypothalamus following exposure to male urinary pheromones after dihydroxybenzylhydrazine (DHBH) administration, which blocks the enzyme DOPA-decarboxylase. Taken together, this series of experiments provides convincing evidence for the dopamine inhibition of prolactin release being the final pathway for pheromone action in the context of pregnancy block.

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“…The importance of the VN system has been demonstrated by a number of lesion and behavioral studies implicating this system in several aspects of chemical communication and reproductive behavior in several species. In rodents, chemical signals acting through the VNO affect male sexual behavior (Powers and Winans, 197.5;Wysocki et al, 1982;Meredith, 1986) and hormonal responses to the opposite sex (Wysocki et al, 1983;Coquelin et al, 1984), as well as some aspects of female sexual behavior (Saito and Moltz, 1986), estrus cycling (Reynolds and Keveme, 1979;Sanchez-Criado, 1982), the timing of puberty (Lomas et al, 1982;Sanchez-Criado, 1982), and in some circumstances, ovulation and pregnancy (Lloyd Thomas et al, 1982;Beltramino et al, 1983). Disruption of VN input to the CNS inhibits some or all of these responses in various species (Meredith, 1983;Wysocki and Meredith, 1987).…”

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confidence: 99%

c-fos expression in vomeronasal pathways of mated or pheromone- stimulated male golden hamsters: contributions from vomeronasal sensory input and expression related to mating performance

1994

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The vomeronasal system projects to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), to the medial (Me) and posterior medial cortical nuclei (PMCN) of the amygdala, to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and to other central structures shown to be important in mating behavior, including the medial preoptic area (MPOA). In these experiments c-fos expression was used as a marker of neural activity to identify the contribution of vomeronasal sensory input during mating behavior in male golden hamsters, either intact or with vomeronasal organs removed (VNX). Inexperienced hamsters were either stimulated with a receptive female and allowed to mate, exposed to female hamster vaginal fluid (HVF), which contains stimuli known to act through the VN system, or placed in a clean cage alone. Densely stained Fos-positive nuclei were evident in mated animals in the central VN pathway [AOB, Me, posterior medial BNST (pmBNST)] and a VN target area (MPOA). HVF-exposed animals showed Fos expression in the AOB, Me, and BNST but not MPOA. Unstimulated animals showed almost no activation. Most VNX animals exposed to females did not mate, but performed intense chemoinvestigation. They had few Fos-positive nuclei in any of these areas except the caudal pmBNST. A few VNX animals that did mate had patterns of Fos activation that were similar but less intense than those of intact mating animals, suggesting a selective activation of VN central pathways during mating regardless of VN sensory input. The main olfactory system showed low levels of Fos expression in all animals (stimulated and unstimulated). Fos expression in the MPOA and rostral pmBNST was seen only in mated animals, suggesting that these regions are concerned with mating performance or its consequences, rather than the chemosensory input that triggers it. Fos expression in the caudal encapsulated pmBNST was evident in all groups of animals that performed chemosensory investigation, regardless of VN status or mating, suggesting that this region either directs or responds to chemosensory investigation.

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The accessory olfactory system and its role in the pheromonally mediated suppression of oestrus in grouped mice

Cited by 122 publications

References 13 publications

Influence of Male Rats on the Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in Female Rats: Role of the Vomeronasal Organ

Influence of Male Rats on the Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in Female Rats: Role of the Vomeronasal Organ

Restricted exposure of mice to primer pheromones coincident with prolactin surges blocks pregnancy by changing hypothalamic dopamine release

c-fos expression in vomeronasal pathways of mated or pheromone- stimulated male golden hamsters: contributions from vomeronasal sensory input and expression related to mating performance

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