Effects of aromatase mutation (ArKO) on the sexual differentiation of kisspeptin neuronal numbers and their activation by same versus opposite sex urinary pheromones.
Bakker, Julie; Pierman, Sylvie; Gonzalez-Martinez, David
2010 • In Hormones and Behavior, 57 (4-5), p. 390-5
Animals; Aromatase/genetics; Cell Count; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Estradiol/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Kisspeptins; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mutation/physiology; Neurons/metabolism/physiology; Odors; Olfactory Bulb/metabolism/physiology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/biosynthesis/genetics; Sex Attractants/pharmacology/urine; Sex Characteristics; Sex Differentiation/genetics; Smell/genetics/physiology; Tumor Suppressor Proteins/metabolism/physiology
Abstract :
[en] Pheromones have been shown to induce sexually dimorphic responses in LH secretion. Here we asked whether the sexually dimorphic population of kisspeptin neurons in the rostral periventricular area of the third ventricle (RP3V) could relay sexually dimorphic information from the olfactory systems to the GnRH system. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of aromatase mutation (ArKO) and thus the role of estradiol on RP3V kisspeptin neuronal numbers and on the response of these kisspeptin neurons to same- versus opposite-sex urinary pheromones. Exposure to male but not female urinary odors induced Fos protein in kisspeptin neurons in the RP3V of female wildtype (WT) mice, suggesting that these kisspeptin neurons may be part of the neural circuitry that relays information from the olfactory brain to the GnRH system in a sexually dimorphic manner. Male pheromones induced Fos in kisspeptin neurons in ArKO females, albeit significantly less compared to WT females. The sexual differentiation of kisspeptin neuronal number was lost in ArKO mice, i.e. the number of kisspeptin-immunoreactive neurons in the RP3V of ArKO females was as low as in male mice, whereas male ArKO mice had somewhat increased numbers of kisspeptin neurons. These results suggest that the sex difference in kisspeptin neuronal number in WT mice reflects an organizational action of estradiol in females. By contrast, the ability of male urinary pheromones to activate kisspeptin neurons in WT females may not depend on the organizational action of estradiol since ArKO females still showed some Fos/kisspeptin co-activation.
Disciplines :
Neurosciences & behavior
Author, co-author :
Bakker, Julie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Biologie de la différenciation sexuelle du cerveau
Pierman, Sylvie
Gonzalez-Martinez, David
Language :
English
Title :
Effects of aromatase mutation (ArKO) on the sexual differentiation of kisspeptin neuronal numbers and their activation by same versus opposite sex urinary pheromones.
Publication date :
2010
Journal title :
Hormones and Behavior
ISSN :
0018-506X
eISSN :
1095-6867
Publisher :
Academic Press, San Diego, United States - California
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