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García-Saucedo B, Romero-Morales L, Álvarez-Rodríguez C, Cárdenas-Vázquez R, Ávila-Costa MR, Luis J. Father's Absence in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is associated with alterations in paternal behavior, T, cort, presence of ERα, and AR in mPOA/ BNST. Behav Brain Res 2024; 465:114928. [PMID: 38432301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone (T), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and androgen receptor (AR) play a significant role in the regulation of paternal behavior. We determined the effects of deprivation of paternal care on alterations in paternal behavior, T concentrations in plasma, and the presence of ERα and AR in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), medial amygdala (MeA), and olfactory bulb (OB), as well as the corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in plasma caused by deprivation of paternal care in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Twenty pairs of gerbils were formed; the pups were deprived of paternal care (DPC) in 10 pairs. In another 10 pairs, the pups received paternal care (PC). Ten males raised in DPC condition and 10 males raised in PC conditions were mated with virgin females. When they became fathers, each DPC male and PC male was subjected to tests of paternal behavior on day three postpartum. Blood samples were obtained to quantify T and CORT concentrations, and the brains were removed for ERα and AR immunohistochemistry analyses. DPC males gave less care to their pups than PC males, and they had significantly lower T concentrations and levels of ERα and AR in the mPOA and BNST than PC males. DPC males also had higher CORT concentrations than PC males. These results suggest that in the Mongolian gerbil father's absence causes a decrease in paternal care in the offspring, which is associated with alterations in the neuroendocrine mechanisms that regulate it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda García-Saucedo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, 7 Circuitos de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de 8 México, México
| | - Luis Romero-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Álvarez-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - René Cárdenas-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Biología Animal Experimental, Depto. de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - María Rosa Ávila-Costa
- Laboratorio de Neuromorfología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Edo. Mex, Mexico
| | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
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Pereira M, Smiley KO, Lonstein JS. Parental Behavior in Rodents. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 27:1-53. [PMID: 36169811 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-97762-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Members of the order Rodentia are among the best-studied mammals for understanding the patterns, outcomes, and biological determinants of maternal and paternal caregiving. This research has provided a wealth of information but has historically focused on just a few rodents, mostly members of the two Myomorpha families that easily breed and can be studied within a laboratory setting (including laboratory rats, mice, hamsters, voles, gerbils). It is unclear how well this small collection of animals represents the over 2000 species of extant rodents. This chapter provides an overview of the hormonal and neurobiological systems involved in parental care in rodents, with a purposeful eye on providing information known or could be gleaned about parenting in various less-traditional members of Rodentia. We conclude from this analysis that the few commonly studied rodents are not necessarily even representative of the highly diverse members of Myomorpha, let alone other rodent suborders, and that additional laboratory and field studies of members of this order more broadly would surely provide invaluable information toward revealing a more representative picture of the rich diversity in rodent parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Pereira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Kristina O Smiley
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology & Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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Miranda-Anaya M, Pérez-Mendoza M, Juárez-Tapia CR, Carmona-Castro A. The volcano mouse Neotomodon alstoni of central Mexico, a biological model in the study of breeding, obesity and circadian rhythms. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 273:61-66. [PMID: 29702105 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The "Mexican volcano mouse" Neotomodon alstoni, is endemic of the Transverse Neovolcanic Ridge in central Mexico. It is considered as least concern species and has been studied as a potential laboratory model from different perspectives. Two lines of research in neuroendocrinology have been addressed: reproduction and parental care, particularly focused on paternal attention and the influence of testosterone, and studies on physiology and behavior of circadian rhythms, focused on the circadian biology of the species, its circadian locomotor activity and daily neuroendocrine regulation of metabolic parameters related to energy balance. Some mice, when captive, spontaneously develop obesity, which allows for comparisons between lean and obese mice of daily changes in neuronal and metabolic parameters associated with changes in food intake and locomotor activity. This review includes studies that consider this species an attractive animal model where the alteration of circadian rhythms influences the pathogenesis of obesity, specifically with the basic regulation of food intake and metabolism and differences related to sex. This study can be considered as a reference to the comparative animal physiology among rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Miranda-Anaya
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230 Mexico.
| | - M Pérez-Mendoza
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230 Mexico
| | - C R Juárez-Tapia
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230 Mexico
| | - A Carmona-Castro
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230 Mexico
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Paternal behavior in the Mongolian gerbil, and its regulation by social factors, T, ERα, and AR. Physiol Behav 2019; 199:351-358. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Romero-Morales L, Martínez-Torres M, Cárdenas M, Álvarez C, Carmona A, Cedillo B, Loya-Zurita E, Luis J. An increase in estradiol facilitates the onset of paternal behavior in the dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli). Horm Behav 2018; 99:35-40. [PMID: 29425672 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli), activational effects of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) in the regulation of paternal behavior have been repeatedly rejected because peripheral concentrations of E2 do not change across the reproductive cycle of males. Further, castration no affected paternal behavior despite that both T and E2 concentrations decreased significantly. However, the role of these hormones has not been evaluated in models of castration and hormonal replacement in virgin males. Here, we analysed the effects of E2 and T in paternal behavior in virgin male dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli). Thirty paternal (PAT) males were bilaterally castrated; of them, 10 were implanted with T, 10 with E2 and 10 males received no treatment. Other 10 PAT males underwent sham-castration. Seventeen aggressive (AGG) males were also bilaterally castrated; of these, 10 AGG received E2 replacement, 7 were not treated. Other 7 AGG males were submitted to sham-castration. Following treatments, paternal behavior tests were conducted again. T and E2 levels in plasma were quantified by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results showed that the treatments did not affect the paternal behavior of males that were initially paternal. Neither castration nor sham-castration surgery affected the behavior of AGG males. However, when these males were treated with E2 and the concentrations of this hormone increase significantly they became paternal. Our data suggest that an increase in E2 levels shifted infanticidal behavior to paternal behavior in dwarf hamster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Romero-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Martín Martínez-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Mario Cárdenas
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, Salvador Zurbirán, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Carmen Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Agustín Carmona
- Laboratorio de Biología Experimental, Depto. De Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
| | - Benita Cedillo
- Psicología Experimental, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Loya-Zurita
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico
| | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, UMF, FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. de los Barrios No. 1, Tlalnepantla, Edo. de México, Mexico.
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