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Nestor CC, Merkley CM, Lehman MN, Hileman SM, Goodman RL. KNDy neurons as the GnRH pulse generator: Recent studies in ruminants. Peptides 2023; 164:171005. [PMID: 36990389 PMCID: PMC10164117 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
This review considers three aspects of recent work on the role of KNDy neurons in GnRH pulse generation in ruminants. First, work on basic mechanisms of pulse generation includes several tests of this hypothesis, all of which support it, and evidence that Kiss1r-containing neurons form a positive feedback circuit with the KNDy neural network that strengthen the activity of this network. The second section on pathways mediating external inputs focuses on the influence of nutrition and photoperiod, and describes the evidence supporting roles for proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) afferents to KNDy cells in each of these. Finally, we review studies exploring the potential applications of manipulating signaling by kisspeptin, and the other KNDy peptides, to control reproductive function in domestic animals and conclude that, although these approaches show some promise, they do not have major advantages over current practices at this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey C Nestor
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - Michael N Lehman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Stanley M Hileman
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Robert L Goodman
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
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Zarazaga LÁ, Gatica MC, De La Rosa I, Delgado-Pertíñez M, Guzmán JL. The High Testosterone Concentrations of the Bucks Used in the "Male Effect" Is Not a Prerequisite for Obtaining High Ovarian Activity in Goats from Mediterranean Latitudes. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12080954. [PMID: 35454200 PMCID: PMC9029418 DOI: 10.3390/ani12080954] [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] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Two experiments were carried out. Firstly, 54 anestrous females were placed in contact with photostimulated males (Photo; n = 27) or with no photostimulated males (Natural; n = 27). Moreover, a group of bucks treated with artificial photoperiod and a group of bucks subjected to natural photoperiod without contact with females was used (Photo Isolated and Natural Isolated, respectively). In the Natural groups, the testosterone concentrations were similar except for three days after the introduction of the bucks to the does (19.72 ± 4.11 vs. 2.05 ± 0.25 ng/mL for Natural and Natural isolated bucks, respectively, p < 0.05). However, no differences were observed in the Photo groups during the entire experiment. The percentage of females showing estrous was higher in the group of females in contact with photostimulated bucks (96 vs. 74%, respectively, p < 0.05). In the second experiment, a GnRH agonist, deslorelin, was used to regulate the testosterone concentrations of the bucks. Seventy anestrous females were divided into five groups depending on the treatment received by the bucks to which they were exposed: photostimulated bucks (Photo group, n = 14); photostimulated bucks but treated with the agonist at the onset of the photoperiod treatment (Photo-Ago Long group, n = 13); photostimulated bucks but treated with the agonist at the end of the photoperiod treatment (Photo-Ago Short group, n = 15); bucks receiving no photostimulation but treated with the agonist at the end of the photoperiod treatment period (Natural-Ago Short group, n = 13) and bucks receiving no photostimulation nor agonist (Natural group, n = 15). The agonist treatment increased testosterone concentrations after the injection, which remained high for the entire experiment (p < 0.05). Six days after the introduction of the bucks to the does, the testosterone concentrations increased only in the Natural group reaching similar concentrations to the other groups (12.17 ± 6.55, 16.69 ± 4.53, 8.70 ± 0.61, 11.03 ± 1.45 and 14.42 ± 3.64 ng/mL for Photo, Photo-Ago Long, Photo-Ago Short, Natural-Ago Short and Natural bucks, respectively, p > 0.05). No differences in reproductive parameters were observed (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that, at Mediterranean latitudes, anestrous females can stimulate the testosterone concentrations of bucks after a period of isolation. The high testosterone concentrations are not a prerequisite for an adequate response to the male effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Ángel Zarazaga
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, “Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, CeiA3”, Campus Universitario de la Rábida, Universidad de Huelva, Carretera de Huelva-Palos de la Frontera, s/n, 21819 Huelva, Spain; (I.D.L.R.); (J.L.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-959217713
| | - María-Carolina Gatica
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Avenida Arturo Prat, Iquique 2120, Chile;
| | - Ignacio De La Rosa
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, “Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, CeiA3”, Campus Universitario de la Rábida, Universidad de Huelva, Carretera de Huelva-Palos de la Frontera, s/n, 21819 Huelva, Spain; (I.D.L.R.); (J.L.G.)
| | - Manuel Delgado-Pertíñez
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain;
| | - José Luis Guzmán
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, “Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, CeiA3”, Campus Universitario de la Rábida, Universidad de Huelva, Carretera de Huelva-Palos de la Frontera, s/n, 21819 Huelva, Spain; (I.D.L.R.); (J.L.G.)
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Chung-Davidson YW, Bussy U, Fissette SD, Huerta B, Li W. Waterborne pheromones modulate gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone levels in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 288:113358. [PMID: 31837303 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The relationships between pheromone stimuli and neuropeptides are not well established in vertebrates due to the limited number of unequivocally identified pheromone molecules. The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is an advantageous vertebrate model to study the effects of pheromone exposure on neuropeptides since many pheromone molecules and neuropeptides have been identified in this species. Sexually mature male sea lamprey release pheromones 7α, 12α, 24-trihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one 24-sulfate (3 keto-petromyzonol sulfate, 3kPZS) and 7α, 12α-dihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one-24-oic acid (3-keto allocholic acid, 3kACA) that differentially regulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (lGnRH) and steroid levels in sexually immature sea lamprey. However, the effects of these pheromones on gonadotropin-inhibitory hormones (GnIHs), hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate lGnRH release, are still elusive. In this report, we sought to examine the effects of waterborne pheromones on lamprey GnIH-related neuropeptide levels in sexually immature sea lamprey. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analyses revealed sex differences in GnIH-related neuropeptide levels in the brain and plasma of immature sea lamprey. Exposure to 3kPZS and 3kACA exerted differential effects on GnIH-related neuropeptide levels in both sexes, but the effects were more prominent in female brains. We conclude that sea lamprey pheromones regulate GnIH-related neuropeptide levels in a sexually dimorphic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Chung-Davidson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, Rm. 13, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Ugo Bussy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, Rm. 13, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Skye Daniel Fissette
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, Rm. 13, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Belinda Huerta
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, Rm. 13, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, Rm. 13, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Kumar TVC, Sharma D, Surla GN, Vedamurthy GV, Singh D, Onteru SK. Body condition score, parity, shelter cleanliness and male proximity: Highly associated non-genetic factors with post-partum anestrus in Murrah buffalo in field conditions. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 214:106282. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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5
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The olfactory secretome varies according to season in female sheep and goat. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:794. [PMID: 31666027 PMCID: PMC6822404 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6194-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Small ungulates (sheep and goat) display a seasonal breeding, characterised by two successive periods, sexual activity (SA) and sexual rest (SR). Odours emitted by a sexually active male can reactivate the ovulatory cycle of anoestrus females. The plasticity of the olfactory system under these hormonal changes has never been explored at the peripheral level of odours reception. As it was shown in pig that the olfactory secretome (proteins secreted in the nasal mucus) could be modified under hormonal control, we monitored its composition in females of both species through several reproductive seasons, thanks to a non-invasive sampling of olfactory mucus. For this purpose, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-E), western-blot with specific antibodies, MALDI-TOF and high-resolution (nano-LC-MS/MS) mass spectrometry, RACE-PCR and molecular modelling were used. Results In both species the olfactory secretome is composed of isoforms of OBP-like proteins, generated by post-translational modifications, as phosphorylation, N-glycosylation and O-GlcNAcylation. Important changes were observed in the olfactory secretome between the sexual rest and the sexual activity periods, characterised in ewe by the specific expression of SAL-like proteins and the emergence of OBPs O-GlcNAcylation. In goat, the differences between SA and SR did not come from new proteins expression, but from different post-translational modifications, the main difference between the SA and SR secretome being the number of isoforms of each protein. Proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD014833. Conclusion Despite common behaviour, seasonal breeding, and genetic resources, the two species seem to adapt their olfactory equipment in SA by different modalities: the variation of olfactory secretome in ewe could correspond to a specialization to detect male odours only in SA, whereas in goat the stability of the olfactory secretome could indicate a constant capacity of odours detection suggesting that the hallmark of SA in goat might be the emission of specific odours by the sexually active male. In both species, the olfactory secretome is a phenotype reflecting the physiological status of females, and could be used by breeders to monitor their receptivity to the male effect.
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Dobson H, Williams J, Routly J, Jones D, Cameron J, Holman-Coates A, Smith R. Short communication: Chronology of different sexual behaviors and motion activity during estrus in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2018; 101:8291-8295. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-14341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Follicular size, luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone (P4) levels in postpartum Santa Inês ewes subjected to ram effect combined with suckling interruption. Livest Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2018.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Fabre-Nys C, Cognié J, Dufourny L, Ghenim M, Martinet S, Lasserre O, Lomet D, Millar RP, Ohkura S, Suetomi Y. The Two Populations of Kisspeptin Neurons Are Involved in the Ram-Induced LH Pulsatile Secretion and LH Surge in Anestrous Ewes. Endocrinology 2017; 158:3914-3928. [PMID: 28938486 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to a ram during spring stimulates luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and can induce ovulation in sexually quiescent ewes ("ram effect"). Kisspeptin (Kiss) present in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the preoptic area (POA) is a potent stimulators of LH secretion. Our aim was to investigate whether Kiss neurons mediate the increase in LH secretion during the ram effect. With double immunofluorescent detection, we identified Kiss neurons (Kiss IR) activated (Fos IR) by exposure to a ram for 2 hours (M2) or 12 hours (M12) or to ewes for 2 hours (C). The density of cells Kiss + Fos IR and the proportion of Kiss IR cells that were also Fos IR cells were higher in M2 and M12 than in C in ARC (P < 0.002) and POA (P < 0.02). In ARC, these parameters were also higher in M12 than in M2 (P < 0.02 and P < 0.05). Kiss antagonist (P234 10-6M) administered by retrodialysis in POA for 3 hours at the time of introduction of the ram reduced the amplitude of the male-induced increase in LH concentration compared with solvent (P < 0.02). In ARC, P234 had a more limited effect (P < 0.038 1 hour after P234) but pulse frequency increased less than after solvent (P = 0.07). In contrast, Kiss antagonist (P271 10-4M) infused in ARC but not POA 6 to 18 hours after introduction of the ram prevented the LH surge in the ewe (0/6 vs 4/5 and 4/6 in C). These results suggest that both populations of Kiss neurons are involved in the ram-induced pulsatile LH secretion and in the LH surge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Fabre-Nys
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Juliette Cognié
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Laurence Dufourny
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Meriem Ghenim
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Stephanie Martinet
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Olivier Lasserre
- INRA Unité Expérimentale de Physiologie Animale de l'Orfrasière, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Didier Lomet
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), University of Tours, Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 135, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Robert P Millar
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0084, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
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Calderón-Leyva G, Meza-Herrera CA, Rodriguez-Martinez R, Angel-García O, Rivas-Muñoz R, Delgado-Bermejo JV, Véliz-Deras FG. Influence of sexual behavior of Dorper rams treated with glutamate and/or testosterone on reproductive performance of anovulatory ewes. Theriogenology 2017; 106:79-86. [PMID: 29040879 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine if exogenous administration of glutamate and (or) testosterone to male rams during the season of reproductive arrest is able to re-activate male sexual behavior and, later on, to promote through the male effect, both sexual and reproductive competence of anovulatory nulliparous ewes. Therefore, an experiment was performed under long-day photoperiods (spring; photo-reproductive arrest, 26°N). Dorper rams were randomly divided into four homogeneous experimental groups (n = 5 males each) regarding live weight (LW), body condition score (BCS), scrotal circumference (SC) and odor intensity (OI). Then, groups were treated with: i) GG (7 mg kg-1 LW of glutamate, every 4d × 30d, im.), ii) GGT (7 mg kg-1 LW of glutamate every 4d × 30d im + 25 mg of testosterone propionate, every 3d × 15d, im.), iii) GT (25 mg of testosterone propionate every 3d × 15d, im, and iv) GC (1 mL of saline, every 4d × 30d, im.). Thereafter, Dorper rams, (n = 4 per group) were selected and exposed to Dorper anovulatory-nulliparous ewes divided in four groups (n = 14 ewes each), and all the appetitive (ASB) and consummatory (CSB) sexual behaviors and indicators of sexual rest (ISR) were registered during the first 48 h of this male-to-females contact. Thereafter, males continued the male-to-female contact for another 8 d, in order to quantify the ewe's sexual and reproductive response through the male effect. During the sexual behavior tests, the GGT rams showed the highest ASB + CSB frequencies (P < 0.05) followed by the GG-rams with the lowest frequencies showed by the GC and GT groups. While the highest ISR behaviors were shown by the GG and GGT groups (P < 0.05) followed by the GC and GT-rams, no differences occurred regarding LW, BCS, and SC along the experimental breeding, with the largest (P < 0.05) OI shown by the GGT-rams and the lowest value observed in the control rams. Regarding the reproductive response of the nulliparous-anovulatory ewes exposed to treated rams, the glutamate + testosterone treated males induced not only an increased (P < 0.05) ovulatory activity and faster (P < 0.05) estrus response but an augmented (P < 0.05) pregnancy rate of the previously anovulatory ewes. To conclude, whereas the GG and GGT treatments generated encouraging sexual and reproductive outcomes, our results are also thought-provoking from a comparative sexual behavior perspective while may embrace potential applications to other animal industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Calderón-Leyva
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico; Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto de Estudios de Posgrado, Campus Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Cesar A Meza-Herrera
- Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Bermejillo, Durango 35230, Mexico.
| | - Rafael Rodriguez-Martinez
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Oscar Angel-García
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Raymundo Rivas-Muñoz
- Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón, Carretera a San Pedro km 7.5, Torreón Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Juan V Delgado-Bermejo
- Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto de Estudios de Posgrado, Campus Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Francisco G Véliz-Deras
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, 27054 Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
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10
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Watanabe Y, Ikegami K, Ishigaki R, Ieda N, Uenoyama Y, Maeda KI, Tsukamura H, Inoue N. Enhancement of the luteinising hormone surge by male olfactory signals is associated with anteroventral periventricular Kiss1 cell activation in female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2017; 29. [PMID: 28699305 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory stimuli play an important role in regulating reproductive functions in mammals. The present study investigated the effect of olfactory signals derived from male rats on kisspeptin neuronal activity and luteinising hormone (LH) secretion in female rats. Wistar-Imamichi strain female rats were ovariectomised (OVX) and implanted with preovulatory levels of 17β-oestradiol (E2 ). OVX+E2 rats were killed 1 hour after exposure to either: clean bedding, female-soiled bedding or male-soiled bedding. Dual staining for Kiss1 mRNA in situ hybridisation and c-Fos immunohistochemistry revealed that the numbers of Kiss1-expressing cells and c-Fos-immunopositive Kiss1-expressing cells in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) were significantly higher in OVX+E2 rats exposed to male-soiled bedding than those of the other groups. No significant difference was found with respect to the number of c-Fos-immunopositive Kiss1-expressing cells in the arcuate nucleus and c-Fos-immunopositive Gnrh1-expressing cells between the groups. The number of c-Fos-immunopositive cells was also significantly higher in the limbic system consisting of several nuclei, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the cortical amygdala and the medial amygdala, in OVX+E2 rats exposed to male-soiled bedding than the other groups. OVX+E2 rats exposed to male-soiled bedding showed apparent LH surges, and the peak of the LH surge and area under the curve of LH concentrations in the OVX+E2 group were significantly higher than those of the other two groups. These results suggest that olfactory signals derived from male rats activate AVPV kisspeptin neurones, likely via the limbic system, resulting in enhancement of the peak of the LH surge in female rats. Taken together, the results of the present study suggests that AVPV kisspeptin neurones are a target of olfactory signals to modulate LH release in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Watanabe
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - K Ikegami
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - R Ishigaki
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - N Ieda
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Y Uenoyama
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - K I Maeda
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H Tsukamura
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - N Inoue
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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11
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Dai X, Jiang LY, Han M, Ye MH, Wang AQ, Wei WH, Yang SM. Reproductive responses of male Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) to 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) under short photoperiod. Naturwissenschaften 2016; 103:29. [PMID: 26940061 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1347-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The plant secondary metabolite 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) can stimulate and enhance animal reproduction. This compound has been successfully detected in Leymus chinensis, which is the main diet of Brandt's voles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different 6-MBOA doses on the reproductive physiology of male Brandt's voles under a short photoperiod. The results showed that 6-MBOA administration increased relative testis weight, regardless of the dose, but it had little effect on the body mass. Low and middle doses of 6-MBOA increased the concentrations of luteinizing hormone and testosterone in the serum and the mRNA levels of StAR and CYP11a1 in the testes. However, 6-MBOA did not cause any significant increase in the mRNA levels of KiSS-1, GPR54, and GnRH compared to those in the control group. The mRNA level of KiSS-1 in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) was higher than that in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV). Collectively, our results demonstrated that the number of KiSS-1-expressing neurons located in the ARC was the highest, and that 6-MBOA, which might modulate the reproductive activity along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, had a dose-dependent stimulatory effect on the reproductive activity of Brandt's voles under a short photoperiod. Our study provided insights into the mechanism of 6-MBOA action and the factors influencing the onset of reproduction in Brandt's voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Dai
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Lian Yu Jiang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Han
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Hong Ye
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Ai Qin Wang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan Hong Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng Mei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Ángel-García O, Meza-Herrera C, Contreras-Villarreal V, Guillen-Muñoz J, Leyva C, Robles-Trillo P, Rivas-Muñoz R, Rodríguez-Martínez R, Mellado M, Véliz F. Effect of different male-to-female ratios and testosterone administration upon the male sexual behavior and the out-of-season reproductive response of anestrous goats. Small Rumin Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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OHARA H, MOGI K, ICHIMARU T, OHKURA S, TAKEUCHI Y, MORI Y, OKAMURA H. Effects of exposure to male goat hair extracts on luteinizing hormone secretion and neuronal activation in seasonally anestrous ewes. J Vet Med Sci 2014; 76:1329-37. [PMID: 24942115 PMCID: PMC4221165 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.14-0260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In sheep and goats, exposure of seasonally anestrous females to males or their fleece/hair activates the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator leading to pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. Pheromones emitted by sexually mature males are thought to play a prominent role in this male effect. In the present study, we first aimed to clarify whether the male goat pheromone is effective in ewes. Seasonally anestrous St. Croix ewes were exposed to hair extracts derived from either intact or castrated (control) male Shiba goats. The male goat-hair extract significantly increased LH secretion compared to the control, suggesting that an interspecies action of the male pheromone occurs between sheep and goats. Using the male goat-hair extract as the pheromone source, we then aimed to clarify the neural pathway involved in the signal transduction of the male pheromone. Ewes were exposed to either the goat-hair extract or the control and sacrificed 2 hr after the exposure. Expression of c-Fos, a marker of neuronal activation, was immunohistochemically examined. The male goat-hair extract significantly increased the c-Fos expression compared to the control in regions of the vomeronasal system, such as the accessory olfactory bulb and medial amygdala, and the arcuate nucleus. The main olfactory bulb did not exhibit any significant increase in the c-Fos expression by the male goat-hair extract. This result suggests that the neural signal of the male pheromone is conveyed to the GnRH pulse generator through the activated regions in ewes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromi OHARA
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The
University of Tokyo, 1–1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
| | - Kazutaka MOGI
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The
University of Tokyo, 1–1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
- Laboratory of Companion Animal Research, Azabu University,
1–17–71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252–5201, Japan
| | - Toru ICHIMARU
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The
University of Tokyo, 1–1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23–3
Matsuoka-shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910–1193, Japan
| | - Satoshi OHKURA
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya
University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464–8601, Japan
| | - Yukari TAKEUCHI
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The
University of Tokyo, 1–1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
| | - Yuji MORI
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The
University of Tokyo, 1–1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
| | - Hiroaki OKAMURA
- Division of Animal Science, National Institute of
Agrobiological Sciences, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0901, Japan
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14
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Goodman RL, Coolen LM, Lehman MN. A role for neurokinin B in pulsatile GnRH secretion in the ewe. Neuroendocrinology 2014; 99:18-32. [PMID: 24008670 PMCID: PMC3976461 DOI: 10.1159/000355285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The recent description of infertility in humans with loss-of-function mutations in genes for neurokinin B (NKB) or its receptor (NK3R) has focused attention on the importance of this tachykinin in the control of GnRH secretion. In a number of species, NKB neurons in the arcuate nucleus also produce two other neuropeptides implicated in the control of GnRH secretion: (1) kisspeptin, which is also essential for fertility in humans, and (2) dynorphin, an inhibitory endogenous opioid peptide. A number of characteristics of this neuronal population led to the hypothesis that they may be responsible for driving synchronous release of GnRH during episodic secretion of this hormone, and there is now considerable evidence to support this hypothesis in sheep and goats. In this article, we briefly review the history of work on the NKB system in sheep and then review the anatomy of NKB signaling in the ewe. We next describe evidence from a number of species that led to development of a model for the role of these neurons in episodic GnRH secretion. Finally, we discuss recent experiments in sheep and goats that tested this hypothesis and led to a modified version of the model, and then broaden our focus to briefly consider the possible roles of NKB in other species and systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L Goodman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va., USA
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15
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A population of kisspeptin/neurokinin B neurons in the arcuate nucleus may be the central target of the male effect phenomenon in goats. PLoS One 2013; 8:e81017. [PMID: 24260530 PMCID: PMC3832416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure of females to a male pheromone accelerates pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in goats. Recent evidence has suggested that neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) containing kisspeptin and neurokinin B (NKB) play a pivotal role in the control of GnRH secretion. Therefore, we hypothesized that these neurons may be the central target of the male pheromone. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether NKB signaling is involved in the pheromone action, and whether ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons receive input from the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA)—the nucleus suggested to relay pheromone signals. Ovariectomized goats were implanted with a recording electrode aimed at a population of ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons, and GnRH pulse generator activity, represented by characteristic increases in multiple-unit activity (MUA) volleys, was measured. Pheromone exposure induced an MUA volley and luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse in control animals, whereas the MUA and LH responses to the pheromone were completely suppressed by the treatment with an NKB receptor antagonist. These results indicate that NKB signaling is a prerequisite for pheromone action. In ovariectomized goats, an anterograde tracer was injected into the MeA, and possible connections between the MeA and ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons were examined. Histochemical observations demonstrated that a subset of ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons receive efferent projections from the MeA. These results suggest that the male pheromone signal is conveyed via the MeA to ARC kisspeptin neurons, wherein the signal stimulates GnRH pulse generator activity through an NKB signaling-mediated mechanism in goats.
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Okamura H, Tsukamura H, Ohkura S, Uenoyama Y, Wakabayashi Y, Maeda KI. Kisspeptin and GnRH pulse generation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2013; 784:297-323. [PMID: 23550012 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6199-9_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The reproductive neuropeptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has two modes of secretion. Besides the surge mode, which induces ovulation in females, the pulse mode of GnRH release is essential to cause various reproductive events in both sexes, such as spermatogenesis, follicular development, and sex steroid synthesis. Some environmental cues control gonadal activities through modulating GnRH pulse frequency. Researchers have looked for the anatomical location of the mechanism generating GnRH pulses, the GnRH pulse generator, in the brain, because an artificial manipulation of GnRH pulse frequency is of therapeutic importance to stimulate or suppress gonadal activity. Discoveries of kisspeptin and, consequently, KNDy (kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin) neurons in the hypothalamus have provided a clue to the possible location of the GnRH pulse generator. Our analyses of hypothalamic multiple-unit activity revealed that KNDy neurons located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus might play a central role in the generation of GnRH pulses in goats, and perhaps other mammalian species. This chapter further discusses the possible mechanisms for GnRH pulse generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Okamura
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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17
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Substance P immunoreactivity exhibits frequent colocalization with kisspeptin and neurokinin B in the human infundibular region. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72369. [PMID: 23977290 PMCID: PMC3747144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons synthesizing neurokinin B (NKB) and kisspeptin (KP) in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus represent important upstream regulators of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurosecretion. In search of neuropeptides co-expressed in analogous neurons of the human infundibular nucleus (Inf), we have carried out immunohistochemical studies of the tachykinin peptide Substance P (SP) in autopsy samples from men (21-78 years) and postmenopausal (53-83 years) women. Significantly higher numbers of SP-immunoreactive (IR) neurons and darker labeling were observed in the Inf of postmenopausal women than in age-matched men. Triple-immunofluorescent studies localized SP immunoreactivity to considerable subsets of KP-IR and NKB-IR axons and perikarya in the infundibular region. In postmenopausal women, 25.1% of NKB-IR and 30.6% of KP-IR perikarya contained SP and 16.5% of all immunolabeled cell bodies were triple-labeled. Triple-, double- and single-labeled SP-IR axons innervated densely the portal capillaries of the infundibular stalk. In quadruple-labeled sections, these axons formed occasional contacts with GnRH-IR axons. Presence of SP in NKB and KP neurons increases the functional complexity of the putative pulse generator network. First, it is possible that SP modulates the effects of KP and NKB in axo-somatic and axo-dendritic afferents to GnRH neurons. Intrinsic SP may also affect the activity and/or neuropeptide release of NKB and KP neurons via autocrine/paracrine actions. In the infundibular stalk, SP may influence the KP and NKB secretory output via additional autocrine/paracrine mechanisms or regulate GnRH neurosecretion directly. Finally, possible co-release of SP with KP and NKB into the portal circulation could underlie further actions on adenohypophysial gonadotrophs.
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Chung-Davidson YW, Wang H, Bryan MB, Wu H, Johnson NS, Li W. An anti-steroidogenic inhibitory primer pheromone in male sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 189:24-31. [PMID: 23644156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive functions can be modulated by both stimulatory and inhibitory primer pheromones released by conspecifics. Many stimulatory primer pheromones have been documented, but relatively few inhibitory primer pheromones have been reported in vertebrates. The sea lamprey male sex pheromone system presents an advantageous model to explore the stimulatory and inhibitory primer pheromone functions in vertebrates since several pheromone components have been identified. We hypothesized that a candidate sex pheromone component, 7α, 12α-dihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one-24-oic acid (3 keto-allocholic acid or 3kACA), exerts priming effects through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. To test this hypothesis, we measured the peptide concentrations and gene expressions of lamprey gonadotropin releasing hormones (lGnRH) and the HPG output in immature male sea lamprey exposed to waterborne 3kACA. Exposure to waterborne 3kACA altered neuronal activation markers such as jun and jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and lGnRH mRNA levels in the brain. Waterborne 3kACA also increased lGnRH-III, but not lGnRH-I or -II, in the forebrain. In the plasma, 3kACA exposure decreased all three lGnRH peptide concentrations after 1h exposure. After 2h exposure, 3kACA increased lGnRH-I and -III, but decreased lGnRH-II peptide concentrations in the plasma. Plasma lGnRH peptide concentrations showed differential phasic patterns. Group housing condition appeared to increase the averaged plasma lGnRH levels in male sea lamprey compared to isolated males. Interestingly, 15α-hydroxyprogesterone (15α-P) concentrations decreased after prolonged 3kACA exposure (at least 24h). To our knowledge, this is the only known synthetic vertebrate pheromone component that inhibits steroidogenesis in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Chung-Davidson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Jouhanneau M, Szymanski L, Martini M, Ella A, Keller M. Kisspeptin: a new neuronal target of primer pheromones in the control of reproductive function in mammals. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 188:3-8. [PMID: 23523710 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pheromones are known to trigger either short-term behavioral responses, usually referred to as "releaser effects", or more long-term physiological changes, known as "primer effects", which especially affect reproductive function at the level of the gonadotrope axis. The precise mechanisms through which pheromones interact with the gonadotrope axis in the hypothalamus is not fully known. We propose that the neuropeptide Kisspeptin, could be a specific target of primer pheromones, allowing these pheromones to modulate the gonadotrope axis and GnRH activity. This emerging hypothesis is discussed in the context of puberty acceleration in female mice and the male effect in female ungulates (sheep or goat). These examples have been chosen to illustrate the diversity of the reproductive contexts in mammals and potential mechanisms affected by primer effects at the level of the gonadotrope axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Jouhanneau
- INRA, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
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20
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Petrulis A. Chemosignals, hormones and mammalian reproduction. Horm Behav 2013; 63:723-41. [PMID: 23545474 PMCID: PMC3667964 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Revised: 03/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Many mammalian species use chemosignals to coordinate reproduction by altering the physiology and behavior of both sexes. Chemosignals prime reproductive physiology so that individuals become sexually mature and active at times when mating is most probable and suppress it when it is not. Once in reproductive condition, odors produced and deposited by both males and females are used to find and select individuals for mating. The production, dissemination and appropriate responses to these cues are modulated heavily by organizational and activational effects of gonadal sex steroids and thereby intrinsically link chemical communication to the broader reproductive context. Many compounds have been identified as "pheromones" but very few have met the expectations of that term: a unitary, species-typical substance that is both necessary and sufficient for an experience-independent behavioral or physiological response. In contrast, most responses to chemosignals are dependent or heavily modulated by experience, either in adulthood or during development. Mechanistically, chemosignals are perceived by both main and accessory (vomeronasal) olfactory systems with the importance of each system tied strongly to the nature of the stimulus rather than to the response. In the central nervous system, the vast majority of responses to chemosignals are mediated by cortical and medial amygdala connections with hypothalamic and other forebrain structures. Despite the importance of chemosignals in mammals, many details of chemical communication differ even among closely related species and defy clear categorization. Although generating much research and public interest, strong evidence for the existence of a robust chemical communication among humans is lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aras Petrulis
- Georgia State University, Neuroscience Institute, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
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21
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De Bond JAP, Li Q, Millar RP, Clarke IJ, Smith JT. Kisspeptin signaling is required for the luteinizing hormone response in anestrous ewes following the introduction of males. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57972. [PMID: 23469121 PMCID: PMC3585258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of a novel male stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of female sheep during seasonal anestrus, leading to the resumption of follicle maturation and ovulation. How this pheromone cue activates pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinizing hormone (LH) is unknown. We hypothesised that pheromones activate kisspeptin neurons, the product of which is critical for the stimulation of GnRH neurons and fertility. During the non-breeding season, female sheep were exposed to novel males and blood samples collected for analysis of plasma LH profiles. Females without exposure to males served as controls. In addition, one hour before male exposure, a kisspeptin antagonist (P-271) or vehicle was infused into the lateral ventricle and continued for the entire period of male exposure. Introduction of a male led to elevated mean LH levels, due to increased LH pulse amplitude and pulse frequency in females, when compared to females not exposed to a male. Infusion of P-271 abolished this effect of male exposure. Brains were collected after the male effect stimulus and we observed an increase in the percentage of kisspeptin neurons co-expressing Fos, by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the per-cell expression of Kiss1 mRNA was increased in the rostral and mid (but not the caudal) arcuate nucleus (ARC) after male exposure in both aCSF and P-271 treated ewes, but the per-cell content of neurokinin B mRNA was decreased. There was also a generalized increase in Fos positive cells in the rostral and mid ARC as well as the ventromedial hypothalamus of females exposed to males. We conclude that introduction of male sheep to seasonally anestrous female sheep activates kisspeptin neurons and other cells in the hypothalamus, leading to increased GnRH/LH secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qun Li
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert P. Millar
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
- UCT/MRC Receptor Biology Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Iain J. Clarke
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeremy T. Smith
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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22
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Chung-Davidson YW, Wang H, Siefkes MJ, Bryan MB, Wu H, Johnson NS, Li W. Pheromonal bile acid 3-ketopetromyzonol sulfate primes the neuroendocrine system in sea lamprey. BMC Neurosci 2013; 14:11. [PMID: 23331321 PMCID: PMC3599739 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-14-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vertebrate pheromones are known to prime the endocrine system, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. However, no known pheromone molecule has been shown to modulate directly the synthesis or release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), the main regulator of the HPG axis. We selected sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) as a model system to determine whether a single pheromone component alters the output of GnRH.Sea lamprey male sex pheromones contain a main component, 7α, 12α, 24-trihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one 24-sulfate (3 keto-petromyzonol sulfate or 3kPZS), which has been shown to modulate behaviors of mature females. Through a series of experiments, we tested the hypothesis that 3kPZS modulates both synthesis and release of GnRH, and subsequently, HPG output in immature sea lamprey. RESULTS The results showed that natural male pheromone mixtures induced differential steroid responses but facilitated sexual maturation in both sexes of immature animals (χ(2) = 5.042, dF = 1, p < 0.05). Exposure to 3kPZS increased plasma 15α-hydroxyprogesterone (15α-P) concentrations (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.05) and brain gene expressions (genes examined: three lamprey (l) GnRH-I transcripts, lGnRH-III, Jun and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK); one-way ANOVA, p < 0.05), but did not alter the number of GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus in immature animals. In addition, 3kPZS treatments increased lGnRH peptide concentrations in the forebrain and modulated their levels in plasma. Overall, 3kPZS modulation of HPG axis is more pronounced in immature males than in females. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that a single male pheromone component primes the HPG axis in immature sea lamprey in a sexually dimorphic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Chung-Davidson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Huiyong Wang
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Michael J Siefkes
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Present address: Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 2100 Commonwealth Blvd., Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Mara B Bryan
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Present address: Energy Biosciences Institute, University of California, 130 Calvin Laboratory, MC 5230, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Present address: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Rollins Research Center G214, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Nicholas S Johnson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Present address: USGS, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Road, Millersburg, MI, 49759, USA
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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23
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Keller M, Lévy F. The main but not the accessory olfactory system is involved in the processing of socially relevant chemosignals in ungulates. Front Neuroanat 2012; 6:39. [PMID: 23049501 PMCID: PMC3446679 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2012.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2012] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ungulates like sheep and goats have, like many other mammalian species, two complementary olfactory systems. The relative role played by these two systems has long been of interest regarding the sensory control of social behavior. The study of ungulate social behavior could represent a complimentary alternative to rodent studies because they live in a more natural environment and their social behaviors depend heavily on olfaction. In addition, the relative size of the main olfactory bulb (MOB) [in comparison to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB)] is more developed than in many other lissencephalic species like rodents. In this review, we present data showing a clear involvement of the main olfactory system in two well-characterized social situations under olfactory control in ungulates, namely maternal behavior and offspring recognition at birth and the reactivation of the gonadotropic axis of females exposed to males during the anestrous season. In conclusion, we discuss the apparent discrepancy between the absence of evidence for a role of the vomeronasal system in ungulate social behavior and the existence of a developed accessory olfactory system in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Keller
- INRA, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements Nouzilly, France ; CNRS, UMR 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements Nouzilly, France ; Université François Rabelais de Tours Tours, France
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24
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Hawken PAR, Martin GB. Sociosexual stimuli and gonadotropin-releasing hormone/luteinizing hormone secretion in sheep and goats. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2012; 43:85-94. [PMID: 22533940 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2012.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2011] [Revised: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Sociosexual stimuli have a profound effect on the physiology of all species. Sheep and goats provide an ideal model to study the impact of sociosexual stimuli on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis because we can use the robust changes in the pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone as a bioassay of gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion. We can also correlate these changes with neural activity using the immediate early gene c-fos and in real time using changes in electrical activity in the mediobasal hypothalamus of female goats. In this review, we will update our current understanding of the proven and potential mechanisms and mode of action of the male effect in sheep and goats and then briefly compare our understanding of sociosexual stimuli in ungulate species with the "traditional" definition of a pheromone.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A R Hawken
- School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, West Australia, Australia.
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25
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Fergani C, Saifullizam A, Routly J, Smith R, Dobson H. Estrous behavior, luteinizing hormone and estradiol profiles of intact ewes treated with insulin or endotoxin. Physiol Behav 2012; 105:757-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2011] [Revised: 09/28/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Maruska KP, Fernald RD. Social Regulation of Gene Expression in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis. Physiology (Bethesda) 2011; 26:412-23. [DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00032.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is a critically important event in every animals' life and in all vertebrates is controlled by the brain via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In many species, this axis, and hence reproductive fitness, can be profoundly influenced by the social environment. Here, we review how the reception of information in a social context causes genomic changes at each level of the HPG axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P. Maruska
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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Murata K, Wakabayashi Y, Sakamoto K, Tanaka T, Takeuchi Y, Mori Y, Okamura H. Effects of brief exposure of male pheromone on multiple-unit activity at close proximity to kisspeptin neurons in the goat arcuate nucleus. J Reprod Dev 2010; 57:197-202. [PMID: 21123964 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.10-070e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure of females to the male pheromone induces pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in goats. Recently, kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) have been suggested to represent the proximate source of the GnRH pulse generator. In this study, we examined the effects of the pheromone on multiple-unit activity (MUA) in female goats fitted with recording electrodes aimed at the ARC kisspeptin neurons. In all eight goats, periodic bursts in MUA (MUA volleys), which were considered to be electrophysiological manifestations of the GnRH pulse generator, were observed. The mean intervolley interval (T) during the control period was calculated in each goat that was then exposed to the male pheromone for 1 sec at timings of 1/4 T, 1/2 T or 3/4 T after one regularly occurring MUA volley. An instantaneous rise in MUA was observed immediately after the exposure regardless of timing. Exposure at a timing of 3/4 T resulted in an MUA volley within 60 sec following the instantaneous rise in all goats. In contrast, an MUA volley was induced in only 2 goats by exposure at 1/2 T, while exposure at 1/4 T failed to induce an MUA volley in any goats. These results suggest that transmission of the pheromone signal to the ARC, represented by an instantaneous rise, activates the GnRH pulse generator. Moreover, the timing-dependent pheromone action in inducing an MUA volley indicates that the GnRH pulse generator has a refractory period for the pheromone signal after the burst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Murata
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Rance NE, Krajewski SJ, Smith MA, Cholanian M, Dacks PA. Neurokinin B and the hypothalamic regulation of reproduction. Brain Res 2010; 1364:116-28. [PMID: 20800582 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2010] [Revised: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 08/19/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in the genes encoding either neurokinin B (NKB) or its receptor, NK3 (NK3R), result in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, characterized by an absence of pubertal development and low circulating levels of LH and gonadal steroids. These studies implicate NKB and NK3R as essential elements of the human reproductive axis. Studies over the last two decades provide evidence that a group of neurons in the hypothalamic infundibular/arcuate nucleus form an important component of this regulatory circuit. These neurons are steroid-responsive and coexpress NKB, kisspeptin, dynorphin, NK3R, and estrogen receptor α (ERα) in a variety of mammalian species. Compelling evidence in the human indicates these neurons function in the hypothalamic circuitry regulating estrogen negative feedback on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. Moreover, in the rat, they form a bilateral, interconnected network that projects to NK3R-expressing GnRH terminals in the median eminence. This network provides an anatomical framework to explain how coordination among NKB/kisspeptin/dynorphin/NK3R/ERα neurons could mediate feedback information from the gonads to modulate pulsatile GnRH secretion. There is substantial (but indirect) evidence that this network may be part of the neural circuitry known as the "GnRH pulse generator," with NK3R signaling as an important component. This theory provides a compelling explanation for the occurrence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in patients with inactivating mutations in the TAC3 or TACR3 genes. Future studies will be needed to determine whether NKB signaling plays a permissive role in the onset of puberty or is part of the driving force initiating the maturation of reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Rance
- Department of Pathology, and the Evelyn F. McNight Brain Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
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