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Láng T, Dimén D, Oláh S, Puska G, Dobolyi A. Medial preoptic circuits governing instinctive social behaviors. iScience 2024; 27:110296. [PMID: 39055958 PMCID: PMC11269931 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial preoptic area (MPOA) has long been implicated in maternal and male sexual behavior. Modern neuroscience methods have begun to reveal the cellular networks responsible, while also implicating the MPOA in other social behaviors, affiliative social touch, and aggression. The social interactions rely on input from conspecifics whose most important modalities in rodents are olfaction and somatosensation. These inputs bypass the cerebral cortex to reach the MPOA to influence the social function. Hormonal inputs also directly act on MPOA neurons. In turn, the MPOA controls social responses via various projections for reward and motor output. The MPOA thus emerges as one of the major brain centers for instinctive social behavior. While key elements of MPOA circuits have been identified, a synthesis of these new data is now provided for further studies to reveal the mechanisms by which the area controls social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Láng
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Diána Dimén
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Addiction and Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Szilvia Oláh
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gina Puska
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arpád Dobolyi
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Malone CL, Rieger NS, Spool JA, Payette A, Riters LV, Marler CA. Behavioral convergence in defense behaviors in pair bonded individuals correlates with neuroendocrine receptors in the medial amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114556. [PMID: 37356669 PMCID: PMC10644349 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Monogamous, pair-bonded animals coordinate intra-pair behavior for spatially separated challenges including territorial defense and nest attendance. Paired California mice, a monogamous, territorial and biparental species, approach intruders together or separately, but often express behavioral convergence across intruder challenges. To gain a more systems-wide perspective of potential mechanisms contributing to behavioral convergence across two conspecific intruder challenges, we conducted an exploratory study correlating behavior and receptor mRNA (Days 10 and 17 post-pairing). We examined associations between convergence variability in pair time for intruder-oriented behaviors with a pair mRNA index for oxytocin (OXTR), androgen (AR), and estrogen alpha (ERα) receptors within the medial amygdala (MeA) and the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), brain regions associated with social behavior. An intruder behavior index revealed a bimodal distribution of intruder-related behaviors in Challenge 1 and a unimodal distribution in Challenge 2, suggesting population behavioral convergence, but no significant correlations with neuroendocrine measures. However, OXTR, AR, and ERα mRNA in the MeA were positively associated with convergence in individual intruder-related behaviors, suggesting multiple mechanisms may influence convergence. Mice could also occupy the nest during intruder challenges and convergence in nest attendance was positively correlated with MeA OXTR. At an individual level, nest attendance was positively associated with MeA ERα. Vocalizations were positively associated with AR and ERα mRNA. No positive associations were found in the AON. Overall, neuroendocrine receptors were implicated in convergence of a monogamous pair's defense behavior, highlighting the potential importance of the MeA as part of a circuit underlying convergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice L Malone
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Nathaniel S Rieger
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA; University of Washington-Seattle, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeremy A Spool
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA; University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Alexis Payette
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lauren V Riters
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Catherine A Marler
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA.
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Camacho-Arroyo I, González-Arenas A, Jiménez-Arellano C, Morimoto S, Galván-Rosas A, Gómora-Arrati P, García-Juárez M, González-Flores O. Sex hormone levels and expression of their receptors in lactating and lactating pregnant rats. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 178:213-220. [PMID: 29277708 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Revised: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Parturient rats show a postpartum estrus, a period of sexual receptivity that occurs from 6 to 15 h after the birth of a litter, which allows the mother to gestate a second litter while simultaneously nursing the first one (lactating and pregnant). The present study investigated hormone levels and the expression pattern of estrogen receptor α, and β, progesterone receptor isoforms and SRC1 in the hypothalamus and the preoptic area of lactating as well as in lactating-pregnant rats. In the latter, estradiol levels were 3-fold higher than those observed in lactating rats on day 14, meanwhile progesterone levels did not change in any condition. There were higher levels of prolactin in both lactating and lactating-pregnant rats on day 7 and decreased on the following days. In the hypothalamus of the lactating rat, the content of ERα increased during lactation meanwhile that of ERβ decreased 50% on day 10. The content of both estrogen receptor subtypes in the hypothalamus increased 3-fold on day 21 in lactating-pregnant rats. In the preoptic area, the content of ERα was higher in lactating-pregnant rats on days 14 and 21 while the content of progesterone receptor isoforms was lower as compared with those found in lactating animals on days 7 and 10. The content of SRC1 increased 2-fold in the preoptic area only in lactating rats at day 14 and 21. These findings suggest that lactating- pregnant animals should exhibit differential neuroendocrine and molecular characteristics as compared to lactating animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Aliesha González-Arenas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Carolina Jiménez-Arellano
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sumiko Morimoto
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Agustín Galván-Rosas
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Porfirio Gómora-Arrati
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Marcos García-Juárez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Oscar González-Flores
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México; Área de Neurociencias, Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, CBS, UAM-I, Ciudad de México, México.
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Pennacchio GE, Neira FJ, Soaje M, Jahn GA, Valdez SR. Effect of hyperthyroidism on circulating prolactin and hypothalamic expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, prolactin signaling cascade members and estrogen and progesterone receptors during late pregnancy and lactation in the rat. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 442:40-50. [PMID: 27919641 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Hyperthyroidism (HyperT) compromises pregnancy and lactation, hindering suckling-induced PRL release. We studied the effect of HyperT on hypothalamic mRNA (RT-qPCR) and protein (Western blot) expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), PRL receptor (PRLR) and signaling pathway members, estrogen-α (ERα) and progesterone (PR) receptors on late pregnancy (days G19, 20 and 21) and early lactation (L2) in rats. HyperT advanced pre-partum PRL release, reduced circulating PRL on L2 and increased TH mRNA (G21 and L2), p-TH, PRLR mRNA, STAT5 protein (G19 and L2), PRLR protein (G21) and CIS protein (G19). PRs mRNAs and protein decreased on G19 but afterwards PRA mRNA (G20), PRB mRNA (G21) and PRA mRNA and protein (L2) increased. ERα protein increased on G19 and decreased on G20. Thus, the altered hypothalamic PRLR, STAT5, PR and ERα expression in hyperthyroid rats may induce elevated TH expression and activation, that consequently, elevate dopaminergic tone during lactation, blunting suckling-induced PRL release and litter growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela E Pennacchio
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Flavia J Neira
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Marta Soaje
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Graciela A Jahn
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Susana R Valdez
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
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5
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Role of Estradiol in the Regulation of Prolactin Secretion During Late Pregnancy. Neurochem Res 2016; 41:3344-3355. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-2067-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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McHenry JA, Rubinow DR, Stuber GD. Maternally responsive neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial preoptic area: Putative circuits for regulating anxiety and reward. Front Neuroendocrinol 2015; 38:65-72. [PMID: 25910426 PMCID: PMC4853820 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders are a major source of morbidity and mortality and affect at least 10% of childbearing women. Affective dysregulation within this context has been identified in association with changes in reproductive steroids. Steroids promote maternal actions and modulate affect, but can also destabilize mood in some but not all women. Potential brain regions that mediate these effects include the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST). Herein, we review the regulation of neural activity in the mPOA/vBNST by environmental and hormonal concomitants in puerperal females. Such activity may influence maternal anxiety and motivation and have significant implications for postpartum affective disorders. Future directions for research are also explored, including physiological circuit-level approaches to gain insight into the functional connectivity of hormone-responsive maternal circuits that modulate affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna A McHenry
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Postdoctoral Training Program in Reproductive Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Garret D Stuber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
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Liu X, Shi H. Regulation of Estrogen Receptor α Expression in the Hypothalamus by Sex Steroids: Implication in the Regulation of Energy Homeostasis. Int J Endocrinol 2015; 2015:949085. [PMID: 26491443 PMCID: PMC4600542 DOI: 10.1155/2015/949085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 07/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences exist in the complex regulation of energy homeostasis that utilizes central and peripheral systems. It is widely accepted that sex steroids, especially estrogens, are important physiological and pathological components in this sex-specific regulation. Estrogens exert their biological functions via estrogen receptors (ERs). ERα, a classic nuclear receptor, contributes to metabolic regulation and sexual behavior more than other ER subtypes. Physiological and molecular studies have identified multiple ERα-rich nuclei in the hypothalamus of the central nervous system (CNS) as sites of actions that mediate effects of estrogens. Much of our understanding of ERα regulation has been obtained using transgenic models such as ERα global or nuclei-specific knockout mice. A fundamental question concerning how ERα is regulated in wild-type animals, including humans, in response to alterations in steroid hormone levels, due to experimental manipulation (i.e., castration and hormone replacement) or physiological stages (i.e., puberty, pregnancy, and menopause), lacks consistent answers. This review discusses how different sex hormones affect ERα expression in the hypothalamus. This information will contribute to the knowledge of estrogen action in the CNS, further our understanding of discrepancies in correlation of altered sex hormone levels with metabolic disturbances when comparing both sexes, and improve health issues in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Liu
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High Street, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Haifei Shi
- Department of Biology, Miami University, 700 E. High Street, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
- *Haifei Shi:
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Voltolini C, Petraglia F. Neuroendocrinology of pregnancy and parturition. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2014; 124:17-36. [PMID: 25248577 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-59602-4.00002-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy, the maternal brain drives a series of adaptive mechanisms that are fundamental for allowing fetal growth and development, protecting both mother and fetus from adverse programming and timing of parturition. This neuroendocrine concept is even more complex as fetal brain and placenta also participate as regulators of maternal-placental-fetal physiology. The placenta is now seen as a neuroendocrine organ, acting as a source of several neuroactive factors that may exert their biologic effects either locally or by entering maternal and fetal circulation, thus acting in an autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine manner. A variety of hypothalamic neurohormones (GnRH, GHRH, somatostatin, CRH, oxytocin) are expressed in the placenta. When stress occurs during pregnancy, the maternal, fetal, and placental hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes are activated to stimulate a series of responses contributing to maintain physiologic conditions while at the same time avoiding the adverse effects of stress on the mother and offspring. However, when stress is excessive, a number of obstetric complications may occur, such as preterm birth, pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, related to an impairment of the placental adaptive response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Voltolini
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Felice Petraglia
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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González-Arenas A, Piña-Medina AG, González-Flores O, Galván-Rosas A, Camacho-Arroyo I. Sex hormones and expression pattern of cytoskeletal proteins in the rat brain throughout pregnancy. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2014; 139:154-8. [PMID: 23318880 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Revised: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy involves diverse changes in brain function that implicate a re-organization in neuronal cytoskeleton. In this physiological state, the brain is in contact with several hormones that it has never been exposed, as well as with very high levels of hormones that the brain has been in touch throughout life. Among the latter hormones are progesterone and estradiol which regulate several brain functions, including learning, memory, neuroprotection, and the display of sexual and maternal behavior. These functions involve changes in the structure and organization of neurons and glial cells that require the participation of cytoskeletal proteins whose expression and activity is regulated by estradiol and progesterone. We have found that the expression pattern of Microtubule Associated Protein 2, Tau, and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein changes in a tissue-specific manner in the brain of the rat throughout gestation and the start of lactation, suggesting that these proteins participate in the plastic changes observed in the brain during pregnancy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Pregnancy and Steroids'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliesha González-Arenas
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, México, D.F., México
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González-Arenas A, Piña-Medina AG, González-Flores O, Gómora-Arrati P, Carrillo-Martínez GE, Balandrán-Ruíz MA, Camacho-Arroyo I. Expression pattern of Tau in the rat brain during pregnancy and the beginning of lactation. Brain Res Bull 2012; 89:108-14. [PMID: 22884690 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2012.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Revised: 06/14/2012] [Accepted: 07/28/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy involves changes in brain function that implicate a re-organization in neuronal cytoskeleton. We analyzed the content of the microtubule associated protein Tau (65kDa isoform) and its phosphorylated form (PhosphoTau) in several rat brain regions throughout pregnancy and on day 2 of lactation by Western blot. In hypothalamus the content of Tau increased on days 2 and 18 of gestation compared with days 14, 21 and in lactation. PhosphoTau content increased throughout pregnancy. In preoptic area Tau content did not show significant changes throughout pregnancy or lactation, however, the content of PhosphoTau presented a decrease on day 21 of gestation. In hippocampus Tau content decreased on day 14 until day 21 compared with day 2 of gestation, however, in lactation day 2 the content of Tau increased meanwhile PhosphoTau content progressively increased throughout pregnancy. In frontal cortex Tau content decreased on day 21 of gestation compared with days 2, 14 and 18, with an increase in lactation, whereas PhosphoTau did not show significant changes. In cerebellum Tau protein decreased on days 14, 18 and 21 of pregnancy with an increase in lactation. PhosphoTau content increased throughout pregnancy and on day 2 of lactation. PhosphoTau/Tau ratio changes in each brain area along pregnancy and in lactation. Our data suggest that Tau expression and its phosphorylation pattern change in a tissue-dependent manner throughout pregnancy and the beginning of lactation in the rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliesha González-Arenas
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico
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Beckley EH, Scibelli AC, Finn DA. Progesterone receptor antagonist CDB-4124 increases depression-like behavior in mice without affecting locomotor ability. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:824-33. [PMID: 21163582 PMCID: PMC3081939 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2010] [Revised: 10/02/2010] [Accepted: 11/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone withdrawal has been proposed as an underlying factor in premenstrual syndrome and postpartum depression. Progesterone withdrawal induces forced swim test (FST) immobility in mice, a depression-like behavior, but the contribution of specific receptors to this effect is unclear. The role of progesterone's GABA(A) receptor-modulating metabolite allopregnanolone in depression- and anxiety-related behaviors has been extensively documented, but little attention has been paid to the role of progesterone receptors. We administered the classic progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone (RU-38486) and the specific progesterone receptor antagonist CDB-4124 to mice that had been primed with progesterone for five days, and found that both compounds induced FST immobility reliably, robustly, and in a dose-dependent fashion. Although CDB-4124 increased FST immobility, it did not suppress initial activity in a locomotor test. These findings suggest that decreased progesterone receptor activity contributes to depression-like behavior in mice, consistent with the hypothesis that progesterone withdrawal may contribute to the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan H. Beckley
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Angela C. Scibelli
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Deborah A. Finn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239
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12
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Endocrine induced changes in brain function during pregnancy. Brain Res 2010; 1364:198-215. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.09.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2010] [Revised: 09/10/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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13
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Changes in the content of GFAP in the rat brain during pregnancy and the beginning of lactation. Neurosci Lett 2010; 484:197-200. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Revised: 07/08/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Maruska KP, Fernald RD. Reproductive status regulates expression of sex steroid and GnRH receptors in the olfactory bulb. Behav Brain Res 2010; 213:208-17. [PMID: 20466023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.04.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2010] [Revised: 04/29/2010] [Accepted: 04/30/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuromodulators including gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and sex steroids help integrate an animal's internal physiological state with incoming external cues, and can have profound effects on the processing of behaviorally relevant information, particularly from the olfactory system. While GnRH and steroid receptors are present in olfactory processing regions across vertebrates, little is known about whether their expression levels change with internal physiological state or external social cues. We used qRT-PCR to measure mRNA levels of two GnRH receptors (GnRH-R1, GnRH-R2), five sex steroid receptors (estrogen receptors: ERalpha, ERbetaa, ERbetab; androgen receptors: ARalpha, ARbeta), and aromatase in the olfactory bulb of the highly social African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. We asked whether these receptor levels changed with reproductive condition in females, or with social status, which regulates reproductive capacity in males. Our results reveal that mRNA levels of multiple sex steroid, GnRH receptor subtypes, and aromatase in the olfactory bulb vary with sex, social status in males, and reproductive condition in females, which highlights the potential importance of changing receptor levels in fine-tuning the olfactory system during the reproductive cycle. Further, steroid receptor mRNA levels were positively correlated with circulating steroid levels in males, but negatively correlated in females, suggesting different regulatory control between sexes. These results provide support for the hypothesis that the first-order olfactory relay station is a substrate for both GnRH and sex steroid modulation, and suggest that changes in receptor levels could be an important mechanism for regulating reproductive, social, and seasonal plasticity in olfactory perception observed across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P Maruska
- Biology Department, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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15
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Gore AC. Developmental programming and endocrine disruptor effects on reproductive neuroendocrine systems. Front Neuroendocrinol 2008; 29:358-74. [PMID: 18394690 PMCID: PMC2702520 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2008.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2007] [Revised: 02/21/2008] [Accepted: 02/22/2008] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The ability of a species to reproduce successfully requires the careful orchestration of developmental processes during critical time points, particularly the late embryonic and early postnatal periods. This article begins with a brief presentation of the evidence for how gonadal steroid hormones exert these imprinting effects upon the morphology of sexually differentiated hypothalamic brain regions, the mechanisms underlying these effects, and their implications in adulthood. Then, I review the evidence that aberrant exposure to hormonally-active substances such as exogenous endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may result in improper hypothalamic programming, thereby decreasing reproductive success in adulthood. The field of endocrine disruption has shed new light on the discipline of basic reproductive neuroendocrinology through studies on how early life exposures to EDCs may alter gene expression via non-genomic, epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and histone acetylation. Importantly, these effects may be transmitted to future generations if the germline is affected via transgenerational, epigenetic actions. By understanding the mechanisms by which natural hormones and xenobiotics affect reproductive neuroendocrine systems, we will gain a better understanding of normal developmental processes, as well as develop the potential ability to intervene when development is disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Gore
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute for Neuroscience and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1915, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Steyn FJ, Anderson GM, Grattan DR. Expression of ovarian steroid hormone receptors in tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurones during pregnancy and lactation. J Neuroendocrinol 2007; 19:788-93. [PMID: 17850461 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2007.01590.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
During late-pregnancy, tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurones, a critical component of the negative-feedback loop regulating prolactin secretion, become unresponsive to the stimulatory effects of prolactin. The change in TIDA responsiveness to prolactin at this time results in a decrease in dopamine secretion and a prolactin surge. As the onset of parturition and the antepartum prolactin surge depend on the withdrawal of progesterone in the presence of oestrogen, it is likely that ovarian steroid hormones mediate this change in TIDA responsiveness. To determine whether ovarian steroids can directly modulate TIDA activity, and whether changes of receptor numbers might contribute to overall steroid-regulation of these neurones, we investigated the level of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression within TIDA neurones during pregnancy and lactation. Animals were sacrificed on dioestrous, days 12, 19 and 21 of pregnancy and day 5 of lactation, and the proportion of TIDA neurones expressing ERalpha or PR, as well as the total number of PR expressing cells within the arcuate nucleus, was determined. Approximately 75% and 55% of tyrosine hydroxylase neurones expressed ERalpha and PR, respectively. Levels of steroid receptor expression within TIDA neurones remained fairly constant, except for an increase in ERalpha on days 12 and 19 of pregnancy compared to dioestrous and lactation day 5. The presence of steroid receptors on TIDA neurones during pregnancy and lactation supports the concept of a direct effect of steroid hormones on these neurones at this time. Thus, steroid hormones may directly act on TIDA neurones to regulate maternal prolactin secretion. The relatively stable level of expression during late pregnancy suggests that a shift in steroid receptor expression during late pregnancy does not contribute to the change in TIDA responsiveness to prolactin at this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- F J Steyn
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Akhmadeev AV. Effects of the gender factor and neonatal androgenization on the dendroarchitectonics of neurons in the dorsomedial nucleus of the amygdaloid body of the brain. NEUROSCIENCE AND BEHAVIORAL PHYSIOLOGY 2007; 37:531-4. [PMID: 17505808 DOI: 10.1007/s11055-007-0048-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present work was to identify gender-related differences in the dendroarchitectonics of neurons in the dorsomedial nucleus of the amygdaloid body and the role of androgens in their formation during period of sexual differentiation of the brain in rats. Studies using the Golgi method showed that the quantitative characteristics of long-axon sparsely branched neurons of all classes - neuroblast-like, short-dendrite, and reticular - reflected the influences of gender. In particular, long-axon sparsely branched neurons were found to have more abundant branching primary dendrites and greater total dendrite lengths in adult males than in females. Adult females subjected to neonatal androgenization by administration of testosterone propionate at a dose of 1250 microg showed different neuron characteristics five days after birth as compared with normal females, and these were more marked than in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Akhmadeev
- Department of Human and Animal Morphology and Physiology, Bashkir State University, Ufa
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