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Kikusui T, Sonobe M, Yoshida Y, Nagasawa M, Ey E, de Chaumont F, Bourgeron T, Nomoto K, Mogi K. Testosterone Increases the Emission of Ultrasonic Vocalizations With Different Acoustic Characteristics in Mice. Front Psychol 2021; 12:680176. [PMID: 34248780 PMCID: PMC8267093 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.680176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Testosterone masculinizes male sexual behavior through an organizational and activational effects. We previously reported that the emission of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in male mice was dependent on the organizational effects of testosterone; females treated with testosterone in the perinatal and peripubertal periods, but not in adults, had increased USV emissions compared to males. Recently, it was revealed that male USVs have various acoustic characteristics and these variations were related to behavioral interactions with other mice. In this regard, the detailed acoustic characteristic changes induced by testosterone have not been fully elucidated. Here, we revealed that testosterone administered to female and male mice modulated the acoustic characteristics of USVs. There was no clear difference in acoustic characteristics between males and females. Call frequencies were higher in testosterone propionate (TP)-treated males and females compared to control males and females. When the calls were classified into nine types, there was also no distinctive difference between males and females, but TP increased the number of calls with a high frequency, and decreased the number of calls with a low frequency and short duration. The transition analysis by call type revealed that even though there was no statistically significant difference, TP-treated males and females had a similar pattern of transition to control males and females, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that testosterone treatment can enhance the emission of USVs both in male and female, but the acoustic characteristics of TP-treated females were not the same as those of intact males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takefumi Kikusui
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Miku Sonobe
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Yuuki Yoshida
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Miho Nagasawa
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Elodie Ey
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3571 CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice de Chaumont
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3571 CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Bourgeron
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3571 CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Kensaku Nomoto
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Mogi
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan
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Kikusui T, Shima Y, Sonobe M, Yoshida Y, Nagasawa M, Nomoto K, Mogi K. Testosterone regulates the emission of ultrasonic vocalizations and mounting behavior during different developmental periods in mice. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:725-733. [PMID: 33070342 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone masculinizes male sexual behavior by providing organizational and activational effects during the perinatal and peripubertal periods and during adulthood, respectively. We revealed that the emission of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and mounting behavior was regulated by different neural circuits. However, the detailed testosterone effects on these two behaviors have not been fully elucidated. Here, we evaluated the time-dependent effects of testosterone on USVs and mounting behavior in mice using a testosterone treatment model, in which females were treated with testosterone to assess the "gain-of-function" and a "loss-of-function" model. In the loss-of-function model, we used Ad4BP/SF-1ΔFLC/- male mice, in which testosterone production was abolished in prenatal and postnatal stages, and Ad4BP/SF-1ΔFLC/ΔFLC mice, in which testosterone production was markedly reduced only in prenatal stages. When testosterone was administered to female mice during the neonatal and peripubertal periods, but not during adulthood, USV emissions increased. Conversely, testosterone treatment in adult female mice increased the mounting behavior, but not USVs. In Ad4BP/SF-1ΔFLC/- mice, USVs and mounting behavior was completely absent. Ad4BP/SF-1ΔFLC/ΔFLC male mice displayed equivalent levels of USVs but less mounting behavior. Collectively, these results suggest that testosterone has dual regulatory roles in USV emissions and mounting behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takefumi Kikusui
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuichi Shima
- Department of Anatomy, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Miku Sonobe
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuuki Yoshida
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Miho Nagasawa
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kensaku Nomoto
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Mogi
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University. Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
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Tomihara K, Zoshiki T, Kukita SY, Nakamura K, Isogawa A, Ishibashi S, Tanaka A, Kuraoka AS, Matsumoto S. Effects of diethylstilbestrol exposure during gestation on both maternal and offspring behavior. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:79. [PMID: 25852458 PMCID: PMC4360566 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disruption during gestation impairs the physical and behavioral development of offspring. However, it is unclear whether endocrine disruption also impairs maternal behavior and in turn further contributes to the developmental and behavioral dysfunction of offspring. We orally administered the synthetic non-steroidal estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) to pregnant female C57BL/6J mice from gestation day 11-17 and then investigated the maternal behavior of mothers. In addition, we examined the direct effects of in utero DES exposure and the indirect effects of aberrant maternal behavior on offspring using the cross-fostering method. In mothers, endocrine disruption during gestation decreased maternal behavior. In addition, endocrine disruption of foster mother influenced anxiety-related behavior and passive avoidance learning of pups regardless of their exposure in utero. The influence of DES exposure in utero, irrespective of exposure to the foster mother, was also shown in female offspring. These results demonstrate the risks of endocrine disruptors on both mother as well as offspring and suggest that developmental deficits may stem from both in utero toxicity and aberrant maternal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Tomihara
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Takahiro Zoshiki
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Sayaka Y Kukita
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kanako Nakamura
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ayuko Isogawa
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Sawako Ishibashi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ayumi Tanaka
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ayaka S Kuraoka
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Saki Matsumoto
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Humanities, Kagoshima University Kagoshima, Japan
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Mogi K, Takanashi H, Nagasawa M, Kikusui T. Sex differences in spatiotemporal expression of AR, ERα, and ERβ mRNA in the perinatal mouse brain. Neurosci Lett 2014; 584:88-92. [PMID: 25459284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
It has been shown that every masculinized function might be organized by a particular contribution of androgens vs. estrogens in a critical time window. Here, we aimed to investigate the sex differences in brain testosterone levels and in the spatiotemporal dynamics of steroid receptor mRNA expression in perinatal mice, by using enzyme immunoassay and real-time PCR, respectively. We found that testosterone levels in the forebrain transiently increased around birth in male mice. During the perinatal period, levels of androgen receptor mRNA in the hypothalamus (hypo) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were higher in male mice than in female mice. Estrogen receptor α (ERα) mRNA levels in the hypo and hippocampus were higher in male mice than in female mice before birth. In contrast, ERβ mRNA expression in the PFC was higher in female mice immediately after birth. These spatiotemporal sex differences in steroid receptor expression might contribute to organizing sex differences of not only reproductive function, but also anxiety, stress responses, and cognition in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutaka Mogi
- Companion Animal Research, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara 252-5201, Japan
| | - Haruka Takanashi
- Companion Animal Research, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara 252-5201, Japan
| | - Miho Nagasawa
- Companion Animal Research, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara 252-5201, Japan
| | - Takefumi Kikusui
- Companion Animal Research, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara 252-5201, Japan.
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