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Sánchez Triviño CA, Hernandez- Clavijo A, Gonzalez-Velandia KY, Pifferi S, Menini A. Noradrenaline modulates sensory information in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons. iScience 2024; 27:110872. [PMID: 39328934 PMCID: PMC11424947 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110872] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
During the induction of the body's alert state, the sympathetic system modulates sensory modalities and fine-tunes peripheral organs for improved stimulus detection. We explored noradrenaline (NA)'s role in modulating signaling in vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs), responsible for detecting pheromones and other semiochemicals. In current-clamp recordings, NA increased the firing frequency in response to natural stimuli of responsive VSNs and induced spiking activity in previously unresponsive neurons. Current injections into VSNs showed an increase in firing frequency during NA application. Combining transcriptomic analysis, electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging, and a pharmacological approach, we identified alpha 1 adrenergic receptors as crucial for NA-induced firing frequency increases in VSNs. Immunohistochemistry revealed catecholaminergic fibers in the vomeronasal sensory epithelium, suggesting localized NA release near VSNs. This study unveils NA as a key regulator of VSN signaling, shedding light on the intricate interplay between the sympathetic nervous system and chemosensory processing, advancing our understanding of sensory modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andres Hernandez- Clavijo
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Simone Pifferi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
| | - Anna Menini
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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2
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Taniguchi M, Murata Y, Yamaguchi M, Kaba H. Activation of arginine vasopressin receptor 1a reduces inhibitory synaptic currents at reciprocal synapses in the mouse accessory olfactory bulb. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1466817. [PMID: 39386179 PMCID: PMC11462548 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1466817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Central arginine vasopressin (AVP) facilitates social recognition and modulates many complex social behaviors in mammals that, in many cases, recognize each other based on olfactory and/or pheromonal signals. AVP neurons are present in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), which is the first relay in the vomeronasal system and has been demonstrated to be a critical site for mating-induced mate recognition (olfactory memory) in female mice. The transmission of information from the AOB to higher centers is controlled by the dendrodendritic recurrent inhibition, i.e., inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) generated in mitral cells by recurrent dendrodendritic inhibitory inputs from granule cells. These reports suggest that AVP might play an important role in regulating dendrodendritic inhibition in the AOB. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effects of extracellularly applied AVP on synaptic responses measured from mitral and granule cells in slice preparations from 23--36-day-old Balb/c mice. To evoke dendrodendritic inhibition in a mitral cell, depolarizing voltages of -70 to 0 mV (10 ms duration) were applied to a mitral cell using a conventional whole-cell configuration. We found that AVP significantly reduced the IPSCs. The suppressive effects of AVP on the IPSCs was diminished by an antagonist for vasopressin receptor 1a (V1aR) (Manning compound), but not by an antagonist for vasopressin receptor 1b (SSR149415). An agonist for V1aRs [(Phe2)OVT] mimicked the action of AVP on IPSCs. Additionally, AVP significantly suppressed voltage-activated currents in granule cells without affecting the magnitude of the response of mitral cells to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The present results suggest that V1aRs play a role in reciprocal transmission between mitral cells and granule cells in the mouse AOB by reducing GABAergic transmission through a presynaptic mechanism in granule cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutsuo Taniguchi
- Department of Physiology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan
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3
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Li CY, Bowers JM, Alexander TA, Behrens KA, Jackson P, Amini CJ, Juntti SA. A pheromone receptor in cichlid fish mediates attraction to females but inhibits male parental care. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3866-3880.e7. [PMID: 39094572 PMCID: PMC11387146 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Reproductive behaviors differ across species, but the mechanisms that control variation in mating and parental care systems remain unclear. In many animal species, pheromones guide mating and parental care. However, it is not well understood how vertebrate pheromone signaling evolution can lead to new reproductive behavior strategies. In fishes, prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) drives mating and reproductive pheromone signaling in fertile females, but this pheromonal activity appears restricted to specific lineages, and it remains unknown how a female fertility pheromone is sensed for most fish species. Here, we utilize single-cell transcriptomics and CRISPR gene editing in a cichlid fish model to identify and test the roles of key genes involved in olfactory sensing of reproductive cues. We find that a pheromone receptor, Or113a, detects fertile cichlid females and thereby promotes male attraction and mating behavior, sensing a ligand other than PGF2α. Furthermore, while cichlid fishes exhibit extensive parental care, for most species, care is provided solely by females. We find that males initiate mouthbrooding parental care if they have disrupted signaling in ciliated sensory neurons due to cnga2b mutation or if or113a is inactivated. Together, these results show that distinct mechanisms of pheromonal signaling drive reproductive behaviors across taxa. Additionally, these findings indicate that a single pheromone receptor has gained a novel role in behavior regulation, driving avoidance of paternal care among haplochromine cichlid fishes. Lastly, a sexually dimorphic, evolutionarily derived parental behavior is controlled by central circuits present in both sexes, while olfactory signals gate this behavior in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jessica M Bowers
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Kristen A Behrens
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Peter Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Cyrus J Amini
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Scott A Juntti
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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4
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Hills M, Ma L, Fang A, Chiremba T, Malloy S, Scott A, Perera A, Yu CR. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Organization of the Mouse Vomeronasal organ at Single Cell Resolution. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.22.581574. [PMID: 39253476 PMCID: PMC11383295 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.22.581574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
We have generated single cell transcriptomic atlases of vomeronasal organs (VNO) from juvenile and adult mice. Combined with spatial molecular imaging, we uncover a distinct, previously unidentified class of cells that express the vomeronasal receptors and a population of canonical olfactory sensory neurons in the VNO. High resolution trajectory and cluster analyses reveal the lineage relationship, spatial distribution of cell types, and a putative cascade of molecular events that specify the V1r, V2r, and OR lineages from a common stem cell population. The expression of vomeronasal and olfactory receptors follow power law distributions, but there is high variability in average expression levels between individual receptor and cell types. Substantial co-expression is found between receptors across clades, from different classes, and between olfactory and vomeronasal receptors, with nearly half from pairs located on the same chromosome. Interestingly, the expression of V2r, but not V1r, genes is associated with various transcription factors, suggesting distinct mechanisms of receptor choice associated with the two cell types. We identify association between transcription factors, surface axon guidance molecules, and individual VRs, thereby uncovering a molecular code that guides the specification of the vomeronasal circuitry. Our study provides a wealth of data on the development and organization of the accessory olfactory system at both cellular and molecular levels to enable a deeper understanding of vomeronasal system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Hills
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Limei Ma
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Ai Fang
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Thelma Chiremba
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Seth Malloy
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Allison Scott
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Anoja Perera
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - C Ron Yu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50 Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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5
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Nguyen QAT, Rocha A, Chhor R, Yamashita Y, Stadler C, Pontrello C, Yang H, Haga-Yamanaka S. Hypothalamic representation of the imminence of predator threat detected by the vomeronasal organ in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.27.559655. [PMID: 37808690 PMCID: PMC10557655 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.27.559655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Animals have the innate ability to select optimal defensive behaviors with appropriate intensity in response to predator threats within specific contexts. Such innate behavioral decisions are thought to be computed in the medial hypothalamic nuclei, which contain neural populations that directly control defensive behavioral outputs. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) serves as a primary sensory channel for detecting predator cues by relaying signals to the medial hypothalamic nuclei, particularly the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), via the medial amygdala (MeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Here, we demonstrate that cat saliva contains predator cues that signal the imminence of predator threat and modulate the intensity of freezing behavior through the VNO in mice. Cat saliva activates neurons expressing the V2R-A4 subfamily of sensory receptors, suggesting that specific receptor groups are responsible for inducing the freezing behavior. The number of VNO neurons activated in response to saliva correlates with both the freshness of saliva and the intensity of freezing behavior. In contrast, the downstream neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) and the defensive behavioral circuit are activated to a similar extent by fresh and old saliva. Strikingly, however, the number of VMH neurons activated by fresh, but not old, saliva positively correlates with the intensity of freezing behavior. Detailed analysis of the spatial distribution of neurons responding to fresh and old saliva, as well as the overlap of those activated within the same individual mice, revealed that fresh and old saliva predominantly activate distinct neuronal populations within the VMH. Collectively, this study suggests that there is an accessory olfactory circuit in mice that is specifically tuned to time-sensitive components of cat saliva, which optimizes their defensive behavior to maximize their chance of survival according to the imminence of threat.
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6
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Singh R, Gobrogge K. Aggression Unleashed: Neural Circuits from Scent to Brain. Brain Sci 2024; 14:794. [PMID: 39199486 PMCID: PMC11352925 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggression is a fundamental behavior with essential roles in dominance assertion, resource acquisition, and self-defense across the animal kingdom. However, dysregulation of the aggression circuitry can have severe consequences in humans, leading to economic, emotional, and societal burdens. Previous inconsistencies in aggression research have been due to limitations in techniques for studying these neurons at a high spatial resolution, resulting in an incomplete understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying aggression. Recent advancements in optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and in vivo electrophysiology have provided new insights into this complex circuitry. This review aims to explore the aggression-provoking stimuli and their detection in rodents, particularly through the olfactory systems. Additionally, we will examine the core regions associated with aggression, their interactions, and their connection with the prefrontal cortex. We will also discuss the significance of top-down cognitive control systems in regulating atypical expressions of aggressive behavior. While the focus will primarily be on rodent circuitry, we will briefly touch upon the modulation of aggression in humans through the prefrontal cortex and discuss emerging therapeutic interventions that may benefit individuals with aggression disorders. This comprehensive understanding of the neural substrates of aggression will pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies and clinical interventions. This approach contrasts with the broader perspective on neural mechanisms of aggression across species, aiming for a more focused analysis of specific pathways and their implications for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhea Singh
- The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Kyle Gobrogge
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
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7
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Forni PE, Yu CR. Two decades on: Special issue on olfaction celebrating Axel and Buck's Nobel Prize. Genesis 2024; 62:e23613. [PMID: 39054874 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo E Forni
- Department of Biological Sciences, The Center for Neuroscience Research, The RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - C Ron Yu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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8
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Morozova M, Andrejeva J, Snytnikova O, Boldyreva L, Tsentalovich Y, Kozhevnikova E. Phospholipid supplementation inhibits male and female odor discrimination in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1397284. [PMID: 39132447 PMCID: PMC11310928 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1397284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dietary phospholipids (PLs) are promising supplements that are commonly found as natural food ingredients and emulsifier additives. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of major PLs found in food supplements on social behavior in mice. In this study, the effect of short-term high dietary PL content was studied in terms of social odor discrimination and social interactions with male and female intruders in male mice. We used odor discrimination and habituation tests to demonstrate that PL-fed male mice tend to lose preference toward female odor and fail to discriminate against socially significant scents. At the same time, test animals recognize non-social odors. We also found that PL affected the social behavior of the test males, who tend to behave indiscriminately toward male and female intruders during direct contact. Brain metabolomic profiling revealed no major changes in the intermediary metabolism or neurotransmitter biosynthesis. At the same time, intranasal PL application resembled the effects of dietary supplementation. These data suggest that certain PL might suppress pheromone perception in the olfactory system and affect the sense of socially important odor cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryana Morozova
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | | | - Lidiya Boldyreva
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | - Elena Kozhevnikova
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Laboratory of Bioengineering, Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Novosibirsk, Russia
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9
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Wolf D, Hartig R, Zhuo Y, Scheller MF, Articus M, Moor M, Grinevich V, Linster C, Russo E, Weber-Fahr W, Reinwald JR, Kelsch W. Oxytocin induces the formation of distinctive cortical representations and cognitions biased toward familiar mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6274. [PMID: 39054324 PMCID: PMC11272796 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50113-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Social recognition is essential for the formation of social structures. Many times, recognition comes with lesser exploration of familiar animals. This lesser exploration has led to the assumption that recognition may be a habituation memory. The underlying memory mechanisms and the thereby acquired cortical representations of familiar mice have remained largely unknown, however. Here, we introduce an approach directly examining the recognition process from volatile body odors among male mice. We show that volatile body odors emitted by mice are sufficient to identify individuals and that more salience is assigned to familiar mice. Familiarity is encoded by reinforced population responses in two olfactory cortex hubs and communicated to other brain regions. The underlying oxytocin-induced plasticity promotes the separation of the cortical representations of familiar from other mice. In summary, neuronal encoding of familiar animals is distinct and utilizes the cortical representational space more broadly, promoting storage of complex social relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Renée Hartig
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yi Zhuo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Max F Scheller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mirko Articus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marcel Moor
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christiane Linster
- Computational Physiology Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Eleonora Russo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- The BioRobotics Institute, Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Weber-Fahr
- Department of Neuroimaging, Translational Imaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jonathan R Reinwald
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Neuroimaging, Translational Imaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Kelsch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
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10
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Mayeur H, Leyhr J, Mulley J, Leurs N, Michel L, Sharma K, Lagadec R, Aury JM, Osborne OG, Mulhair P, Poulain J, Mangenot S, Mead D, Smith M, Corton C, Oliver K, Skelton J, Betteridge E, Dolucan J, Dudchenko O, Omer AD, Weisz D, Aiden EL, McCarthy S, Sims Y, Torrance J, Tracey A, Howe K, Baril T, Hayward A, Martinand-Mari C, Sanchez S, Haitina T, Martin K, Korsching SI, Mazan S, Debiais-Thibaud M. The sensory shark: high-quality morphological, genomic and transcriptomic data for the small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula reveal the molecular bases of sensory organ evolution in jawed vertebrates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.23.595469. [PMID: 39005470 PMCID: PMC11244906 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.23.595469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Cartilaginous fishes (chimaeras and elasmobranchs -sharks, skates and rays) hold a key phylogenetic position to explore the origin and diversifications of jawed vertebrates. Here, we report and integrate reference genomic, transcriptomic and morphological data in the small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula to shed light on the evolution of sensory organs. We first characterise general aspects of the catshark genome, confirming the high conservation of genome organisation across cartilaginous fishes, and investigate population genomic signatures. Taking advantage of a dense sampling of transcriptomic data, we also identify gene signatures for all major organs, including chondrichthyan specializations, and evaluate expression diversifications between paralogs within major gene families involved in sensory functions. Finally, we combine these data with 3D synchrotron imaging and in situ gene expression analyses to explore chondrichthyan-specific traits and more general evolutionary trends of sensory systems. This approach brings to light, among others, novel markers of the ampullae of Lorenzini electro-sensory cells, a duplication hotspot for crystallin genes conserved in jawed vertebrates, and a new metazoan clade of the Transient-receptor potential (TRP) family. These resources and results, obtained in an experimentally tractable chondrichthyan model, open new avenues to integrate multiomics analyses for the study of elasmobranchs and jawed vertebrates.
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11
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Long KLP, Hoglen NEG, Keip AJ, Klinkel RM, See DL, Maa J, Wong JC, Sherman M, Manoli DS. Oxytocin receptor function regulates neural signatures of pair bonding and fidelity in the nucleus accumbens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.23.599940. [PMID: 38979148 PMCID: PMC11230272 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.23.599940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The formation of enduring relationships dramatically influences future behavior, promoting affiliation between familiar individuals. How such attachments are encoded to elicit and reinforce specific social behaviors in distinct ethological contexts remains unknown. Signaling via the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) facilitates social reward as well as pair bond formation between mates in socially monogamous prairie voles 1-9 . How Oxtr function influences activity in the NAc during pair bonding to promote affiliative behavior with partners and rejection of other potential mates has not been determined. Using longitudinal in vivo fiber photometry in wild-type prairie voles and those lacking Oxtr, we demonstrate that Oxtr function sex-specifically regulates pair bonding behaviors and associated activity in the NAc. Oxtr function influences prosocial behavior in females in a state-dependent manner. Females lacking Oxtr demonstrate reduced prosocial behaviors and lower activity in the NAc during initial chemosensory investigation of novel males. Upon pair bonding, affiliative behavior with partners and neural activity in the NAc during these interactions increase, but these changes do not require Oxtr function. Conversely, males lacking Oxtr display increased prosocial investigation of novel females. Using the altered patterns of behavior and activity in the NAc of males lacking Oxtr during their first interactions with a female, we can predict their future preference for a partner or stranger days later. These results demonstrate that Oxtr function sex-specifically influences the early development of pair bonds by modulating prosociality and the neural processing of sensory cues and social interactions with novel individuals, unmasking underlying sex differences in the neural pathways regulating the formation of long-term relationships.
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12
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Lippner DS, Xu J, Ma S, Reisert J, Zhao H. Phosphodiesterase 5A regulates the vomeronasal pump in mice. Genesis 2024; 62:e23603. [PMID: 38738564 PMCID: PMC11338583 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a specialized chemoreceptive structure in many vertebrates that detects chemical stimuli, mostly pheromones, which often elicit innate behaviors such as mating and aggression. Previous studies in rodents have demonstrated that chemical stimuli are actively transported to the VNO via a blood vessel-based pumping mechanism, and this pumping mechanism is necessary for vomeronasal stimulation in behaving animals. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the vomeronasal pump remain mostly unknown. In this study, we observed a high level of expression of phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) in the vomeronasal blood vessel of mice. We provided evidence to support the potential role of PDE5A in vomeronasal pump regulation. Local application of PDE5A inhibitors-sildenafil or tadalafil-to the vomeronasal organ (VNO) reduced stimulus delivery into the VNO, decreased the pheromone-induced activity of vomeronasal sensory neurons, and attenuated male-male aggressive behaviors. PDE5A is well known to play a role in regulating blood vessel tone in several organs. Our study advances our understanding of the molecular regulation of the vomeronasal pump.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennean S. Lippner
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jiang Xu
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Siqi Ma
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Johannes Reisert
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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13
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Nishiike Y, Okubo K. The decision of male medaka to mate or fight depends on two complementary androgen signaling pathways. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316459121. [PMID: 38781215 PMCID: PMC11145247 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316459121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Adult male animals typically court and attempt to mate with females, while attacking other males. Emerging evidence from mice indicates that neurons expressing the estrogen receptor ESR1 in behaviorally relevant brain regions play a central role in mediating these mutually exclusive behavioral responses to conspecifics. However, the findings in mice are unlikely to apply to vertebrates in general because, in many species other than rodents and some birds, androgens-rather than estrogens-have been implicated in male behaviors. Here, we report that male medaka (Oryzias latipes) lacking one of the two androgen receptor subtypes (Ara) are less aggressive toward other males and instead actively court them, while those lacking the other subtype (Arb) are less motivated to mate with females and conversely attack them. These findings indicate that, in male medaka, the Ara- and Arb-mediated androgen signaling pathways facilitate appropriate behavioral responses, while simultaneously suppressing inappropriate responses, to males and females, respectively. Notably, males lacking either receptor retain the ability to discriminate the sex of conspecifics, suggesting a defect in the subsequent decision-making process to mate or fight. We further show that Ara and Arb are expressed in intermingled but largely distinct populations of neurons, and stimulate the expression of different behaviorally relevant genes including galanin and vasotocin, respectively. Collectively, our results demonstrate that male teleosts make adaptive decisions to mate or fight as a result of the activation of one of two complementary androgen signaling pathways, depending on the sex of the conspecific that they encounter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Nishiike
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo113-8657, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo113-8657, Japan
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14
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Rocha A, Nguyen QAT, Haga-Yamanaka S. Type 2 vomeronasal receptor-A4 subfamily: Potential predator sensors in mice. Genesis 2024; 62:e23597. [PMID: 38590121 PMCID: PMC11018355 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Sensory signals detected by olfactory sensory organs are critical regulators of animal behavior. An accessory olfactory organ, the vomeronasal organ, detects cues from other animals and plays a pivotal role in intra- and inter-species interactions in mice. However, how ethologically relevant cues control mouse behavior through approximately 350 vomeronasal sensory receptor proteins largely remains elusive. The type 2 vomeronasal receptor-A4 (V2R-A4) subfamily members have been repeatedly detected from vomeronasal sensory neurons responsive to predator cues, suggesting a potential role of this receptor subfamily as a sensor for predators. This review focuses on this intriguing subfamily, delving into its receptor functions and genetic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rocha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside
| | | | - Sachiko Haga-Yamanaka
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside
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15
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Huang J, Zhang YY, Qiu YY, Yao S, Qiu WT, Peng JL, Li YQ, You QL, Wu CH, Wu EJ, Wang J, Zhou YL, Ning YP, Wang HS, Chen WB, Hu BJ, Liu Y, Sun XD. NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in the medial amygdala controls mating motivation in adult male mice. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113905. [PMID: 38446660 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113905] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Motivation-driven mating is a basic affair for the maintenance of species. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that control mating motivation are not fully understood. Here, we report that NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in the medial amygdala (MeA) is pivotal in regulating mating motivation. NRG1 expression in the MeA negatively correlates with the mating motivation levels in adult male mice. Local injection and knockdown of MeA NRG1 reduce and promote mating motivation, respectively. Consistently, knockdown of MeA ErbB4, a major receptor for NRG1, and genetic inactivation of its kinase both promote mating motivation. ErbB4 deletion decreases neuronal excitability, whereas chemogenetic manipulations of ErbB4-positive neuronal activities bidirectionally modulate mating motivation. We also identify that the effects of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling on neuronal excitability and mating motivation rely on hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 3. This study reveals a critical molecular mechanism for regulating mating motivation in adult male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan-Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Yang Qiu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shan Yao
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wan-Ting Qiu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Lin Peng
- Guangzhou Medical University-Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health (GMU-GIBH) Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan-Quan Li
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, China
| | - Qiang-Long You
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cui-Hong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Er-Jian Wu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Physiology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China
| | - Yan-Ling Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Ping Ning
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Sheng Wang
- Songjiang Research Institute, Shanghai Songjiang District Central Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bing Chen
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bing-Jie Hu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Youtan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiang-Dong Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Psychiatric Disorders, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine for Qingzhi Diseases, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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16
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Peedikayil-Kurien S, Setty H, Oren-Suissa M. Environmental experiences shape sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits and behaviour. FEBS J 2024; 291:1080-1101. [PMID: 36582142 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphic traits, shaped by both natural and sexual selection, ensure optimal fitness and survival of the organism. This includes neuronal circuits that are largely affected by different experiences and environmental conditions. Recent evidence suggests that sexual dimorphism of neuronal circuits extends to different levels such as neuronal activity, connectivity and molecular topography that manifest in response to various experiences, including chemical exposures, starvation and stress. In this review, we propose some common principles that govern experience-dependent sexually dimorphic circuits in both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. While sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits are predetermined, they have to maintain a certain level of fluidity to be adaptive to different experiences. The first layer of dimorphism is at the level of the neuronal circuit, which appears to be dictated by sex-biased transcription factors. This could subsequently lead to differences in the second layer of regulation namely connectivity and synaptic properties. The third regulator of experience-dependent responses is the receptor level, where dimorphic expression patterns determine the primary sensory encoding. We also highlight missing pieces in this field and propose future directions that can shed light onto novel aspects of sexual dimorphism with potential benefits to sex-specific therapeutic approaches. Thus, sexual identity and experience simultaneously determine behaviours that ultimately result in the maximal survival success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hagar Setty
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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17
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Prakash N, Matos HY, Sebaoui S, Tsai L, Tran T, Aromolaran A, Atrachji I, Campbell N, Goodrich M, Hernandez-Pineda D, Jesus Herrero M, Hirata T, Lischinsky J, Martinez W, Torii S, Yamashita S, Hosseini H, Sokolowski K, Esumi S, Kawasawa YI, Hashimoto-Torii K, Jones KS, Corbin JG. Connectivity and molecular profiles of Foxp2- and Dbx1-lineage neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb and medial amygdala. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25545. [PMID: 37849047 PMCID: PMC10922300 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
In terrestrial vertebrates, the olfactory system is divided into main (MOS) and accessory (AOS) components that process both volatile and nonvolatile cues to generate appropriate behavioral responses. While much is known regarding the molecular diversity of neurons that comprise the MOS, less is known about the AOS. Here, focusing on the vomeronasal organ (VNO), the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), and the medial amygdala (MeA), we reveal that populations of neurons in the AOS can be molecularly subdivided based on their ongoing or prior expression of the transcription factors Foxp2 or Dbx1, which delineate separate populations of GABAergic output neurons in the MeA. We show that a majority of AOB neurons that project directly to the MeA are of the Foxp2 lineage. Using single-neuron patch-clamp electrophysiology, we further reveal that in addition to sex-specific differences across lineage, the frequency of excitatory input to MeA Dbx1- and Foxp2-lineage neurons differs between sexes. Together, this work uncovers a novel molecular diversity of AOS neurons, and lineage and sex differences in patterns of connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandkishore Prakash
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Heidi Y Matos
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Sonia Sebaoui
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Luke Tsai
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Tuyen Tran
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Adejimi Aromolaran
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Isabella Atrachji
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Nya Campbell
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Meredith Goodrich
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - David Hernandez-Pineda
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Maria Jesus Herrero
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Tsutomu Hirata
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Julieta Lischinsky
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Wendolin Martinez
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Shisui Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Satoshi Yamashita
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Hassan Hosseini
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical
School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan
Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Katie Sokolowski
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Shigeyuki Esumi
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Yuka Imamura Kawasawa
- Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University
College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Kevin S Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical
School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan
Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
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18
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Kaplan HS, Logeman BL, Zhang K, Santiago C, Sohail N, Naumenko S, Ho Sui SJ, Ginty DD, Ren B, Dulac C. Sensory Input, Sex, and Function Shape Hypothalamic Cell Type Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576835. [PMID: 38328205 PMCID: PMC10849564 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian behavior and physiology undergo dramatic changes in early life. Young animals rely on conspecifics to meet their homeostatic needs, until weaning and puberty initiate nutritional independence and sex-specific social interactions, respectively. How neuronal populations regulating homeostatic functions and social behaviors develop and mature during these transitions remains unclear. We used paired transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiling to examine the developmental trajectories of neuronal populations in the hypothalamic preoptic region, where cell types with key roles in physiological and behavioral control have been identified1-6. These data reveal a remarkable diversity of developmental trajectories shaped by the sex of the animal, and the location and behavioral or physiological function of the corresponding cell types. We identify key stages of preoptic development, including the perinatal emergence of sex differences, postnatal maturation and subsequent refinement of signaling networks, and nonlinear transcriptional changes accelerating at the time of weaning and puberty. We assessed preoptic development in various sensory mutants and find a major role for vomeronasal sensing in the timing of preoptic cell type maturation. These results provide novel insights into the development of neurons controlling homeostatic functions and social behaviors and lay ground for examining the dynamics of these functions in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harris S. Kaplan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brandon L. Logeman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Epigenomics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Current address: Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 220 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Noor Sohail
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Serhiy Naumenko
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Newborn Screening Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shannan J. Ho Sui
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 220 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bing Ren
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Epigenomics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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19
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Mier Quesada Z, Portillo W, Paredes RG. Behavioral evidence of the functional interaction between the main and accessory olfactory system suggests a large olfactory system with a high plastic capability. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1211644. [PMID: 37908970 PMCID: PMC10613685 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1211644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is fundamental in many species of mammals. In rodents, the integrity of this system is required for the expression of parental and sexual behavior, mate recognition, identification of predators, and finding food. Different anatomical and physiological evidence initially indicated the existence of two anatomically distinct chemosensory systems: The main olfactory system (MOS) and the accessory olfactory system (AOS). It was originally conceived that the MOS detected volatile odorants related to food, giving the animal information about the environment. The AOS, on the other hand, detected non-volatile sexually relevant olfactory cues that influence reproductive behaviors and neuroendocrine functions such as intermale aggression, sexual preference, maternal aggression, pregnancy block (Bruce effect), puberty acceleration (Vandenbergh effect), induction of estrous (Whitten effect) and sexual behavior. Over the last decade, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that although these systems could be anatomically separated, there are neuronal areas in which they are interconnected. Moreover, it is now clear that both the MOS and the AOS process both volatile and no-volatile odorants, indicating that they are also functionally interconnected. In the first part of the review, we will describe the behavioral evidence. In the second part, we will summarize data from our laboratory and other research groups demonstrating that sexual behavior in male and female rodents induces the formation of new neurons that reach the main and accessory olfactory bulbs from the subventricular zone. Three factors are essential for the neurons to reach the AOS and the MOS: The stimulation frequency, the stimulus's temporal presentation, and the release of opioids induced by sexual behavior. We propose that the AOS and the MOS are part of a large olfactory system with a high plastic capability, which favors the adaptation of species to different environmental signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zacnite Mier Quesada
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Wendy Portillo
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Raúl G. Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
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20
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Pfau DR, Baribeau S, Brown F, Khetarpal N, Marc Breedlove S, Jordan CL. Loss of TRPC2 function in mice alters sex differences in brain regions regulating social behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1550-1561. [PMID: 37496437 PMCID: PMC10642801 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The transient receptor potential cation channel 2 (TRPC2) conveys pheromonal information from the vomeronasal organ (VNO) to the brain. Both male and female mice lacking this gene show altered sex-typical behavior as adults. We asked whether TRPC2, highly expressed in the VNO, normally participates in the development of VNO-recipient brain regions controlling mounting and aggression, two behaviors affected by TRPC2 loss. We now report significant effects of TRPC2 loss in both the posterodorsal aspect of the medial amygdala (MePD) and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) of male and female mice. In the MePD, a sex difference in neuron number was eliminated by the TRPC2 knockout (KO), but the effect was complex, with fewer neurons in the right MePD of females, and fewer neurons in the left MePD of males. In contrast, MePD astrocytes were unaffected by the KO. In the ventrolateral (vl) aspect of the VMH, KO females were like wildtype (WT) females, but TRPC2 loss had a dramatic effect in males, with fewer neurons than WT males and a smaller VMHvl overall. We also discovered a glial sex difference in VMHvl of WTs, with females having more astrocytes than males. Interestingly, TRPC2 loss increased astrocyte number in males in this region. We conclude that TRPC2 normally participates in the sexual differentiation of the mouse MePD and VMHvl. These changes in two key VNO-recipient regions may underlie the effects of the TRPC2 KO on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Pfau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah Baribeau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Felix Brown
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Niki Khetarpal
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Cynthia L Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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21
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de León Reyes NS, Sierra Díaz P, Nogueira R, Ruiz-Pino A, Nomura Y, de Solis CA, Schulkin J, Asok A, Leroy F. Corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling from prefrontal cortex to lateral septum suppresses interaction with familiar mice. Cell 2023; 186:4152-4171.e31. [PMID: 37669667 PMCID: PMC7615103 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Social preference, the decision to interact with one member of the same species over another, is critical to optimize social interactions. Thus, adult rodents favor interacting with novel conspecifics over familiar ones, but whether this social preference stems from neural circuits facilitating interactions with novel individuals or suppressing interactions with familiar ones remains unknown. Here, we identify neurons in the infra-limbic area (ILA) of the mouse prefrontal cortex that express the neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and project to the dorsal region of the rostral lateral septum (rLS). We show how release of CRH during familiar encounters disinhibits rLS neurons, thereby suppressing social interactions with familiar mice and contributing to social novelty preference. We further demonstrate how the maturation of CRH expression in ILA during the first 2 post-natal weeks enables the developmental shift from a preference for littermates in juveniles to a preference for novel mice in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Sofia de León Reyes
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche), San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Paula Sierra Díaz
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche), San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Ramon Nogueira
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain & Behavior Institute, New York, USA
| | - Antonia Ruiz-Pino
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche), San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Yuki Nomura
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche), San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Christopher A de Solis
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain & Behavior Institute, New York, USA
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Arun Asok
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain & Behavior Institute, New York, USA
| | - Felix Leroy
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche), San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
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22
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Bayless DW, Davis CHO, Yang R, Wei Y, de Andrade Carvalho VM, Knoedler JR, Yang T, Livingston O, Lomvardas A, Martins GJ, Vicente AM, Ding JB, Luo L, Shah NM. A neural circuit for male sexual behavior and reward. Cell 2023; 186:3862-3881.e28. [PMID: 37572660 PMCID: PMC10615179 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Male sexual behavior is innate and rewarding. Despite its centrality to reproduction, a molecularly specified neural circuit governing innate male sexual behavior and reward remains to be characterized. We have discovered a developmentally wired neural circuit necessary and sufficient for male mating. This circuit connects chemosensory input to BNSTprTac1 neurons, which innervate POATacr1 neurons that project to centers regulating motor output and reward. Epistasis studies demonstrate that BNSTprTac1 neurons are upstream of POATacr1 neurons, and BNSTprTac1-released substance P following mate recognition potentiates activation of POATacr1 neurons through Tacr1 to initiate mating. Experimental activation of POATacr1 neurons triggers mating, even in sexually satiated males, and it is rewarding, eliciting dopamine release and self-stimulation of these cells. Together, we have uncovered a neural circuit that governs the key aspects of innate male sexual behavior: motor displays, drive, and reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Bayless
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chung-Ha O Davis
- Stanford Neurosciences Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Renzhi Yang
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yichao Wei
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Joseph R Knoedler
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Taehong Yang
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Oscar Livingston
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Akira Lomvardas
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Ana Mafalda Vicente
- Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics, Seattle, WA 98109; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Jun B Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Departments of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liqun Luo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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23
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Lam RM, von Buchholtz LJ, Falgairolle M, Osborne J, Frangos E, Rocio Servin-Vences M, Nagel M, Nguyen MQ, Jayabalan M, Saade D, Patapoutian A, Bönnemann CG, Ryba NJP, Chesler AT. PIEZO2 and perineal mechanosensation are essential for sexual function. Science 2023; 381:906-910. [PMID: 37616369 PMCID: PMC11418610 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite the potential importance of genital mechanosensation for sexual reproduction, little is known about how perineal touch influences mating. We explored how mechanosensation affords exquisite awareness of the genitals and controls reproduction in mice and humans. Using genetic strategies and in vivo functional imaging, we demonstrated that the mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO2 (piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2) is necessary for behavioral sensitivity to perineal touch. PIEZO2 function is needed for triggering a touch-evoked erection reflex and successful mating in both male and female mice. Humans with complete loss of PIEZO2 function have genital hyposensitivity and experience no direct pleasure from gentle touch or vibration. Together, our results help explain how perineal mechanoreceptors detect the gentlest of stimuli and trigger physiologically important sexual responses, thus providing a platform for exploring the sensory basis of sexual pleasure and its relationship to affective touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby M. Lam
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Brown-National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - Melanie Falgairolle
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jennifer Osborne
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eleni Frangos
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - M. Rocio Servin-Vences
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Maximilian Nagel
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Minh Q. Nguyen
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Monessha Jayabalan
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dimah Saade
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ardem Patapoutian
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Carsten G. Bönnemann
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicholas J. P. Ryba
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alexander T. Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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24
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Weiss J, Vacher H, Trouillet AC, Leinders-Zufall T, Zufall F, Chamero P. Sensing and avoiding sick conspecifics requires Gαi2 + vomeronasal neurons. BMC Biol 2023; 21:152. [PMID: 37424020 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01653-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodents utilize chemical cues to recognize and avoid other conspecifics infected with pathogens. Infection with pathogens and acute inflammation alter the repertoire and signature of olfactory stimuli emitted by a sick individual. These cues are recognized by healthy conspecifics via the vomeronasal or accessory olfactory system, triggering an innate form of avoidance behavior. However, the molecular identity of the sensory neurons and the higher neural circuits involved in the detection of sick conspecifics remain poorly understood. RESULTS We employed mice that are in an acute state of inflammation induced by systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Through conditional knockout of the G-protein Gαi2 and deletion of other key sensory transduction molecules (Trpc2 and a cluster of 16 vomeronasal type 1 receptors), in combination with behavioral testing, subcellular Ca2+ imaging, and pS6 and c-Fos neuronal activity mapping in freely behaving mice, we show that the Gαi2+ vomeronasal subsystem is required for the detection and avoidance of LPS-treated mice. The active components underlying this avoidance are contained in urine whereas feces extract and two selected bile acids, although detected in a Gαi2-dependent manner, failed to evoke avoidance behavior. Our analyses of dendritic Ca2+ responses in vomeronasal sensory neurons provide insight into the discrimination capabilities of these neurons for urine fractions from LPS-treated mice, and how this discrimination depends on Gαi2. We observed Gαi2-dependent stimulation of multiple brain areas including medial amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus, and periaqueductal grey. We also identified the lateral habenula, a brain region implicated in negative reward prediction in aversive learning, as a previously unknown target involved in these tasks. CONCLUSIONS Our physiological and behavioral analyses indicate that the sensing and avoidance of LPS-treated sick conspecifics depend on the Gαi2 vomeronasal subsystem. Our observations point to a central role of brain circuits downstream of the olfactory periphery and in the lateral habenula in the detection and avoidance of sick conspecifics, providing new insights into the neural substrates and circuit logic of the sensing of inflammation in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Weiss
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Hélène Vacher
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 0085 INRAE-CNRS-IFCE-University of Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Anne-Charlotte Trouillet
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 0085 INRAE-CNRS-IFCE-University of Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Trese Leinders-Zufall
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Zufall
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Pablo Chamero
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 0085 INRAE-CNRS-IFCE-University of Tours, Nouzilly, France.
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25
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de Souza AR, Franca W, Prato A, do Nascimento FS. Sex recognition does not modulate aggression toward nest intruders in a paper wasp. Curr Zool 2023; 69:324-331. [PMID: 37351293 PMCID: PMC10284108 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During social interactions, the behavior of an individual often depends on the sex of its social partner. Many animal societies have males and females that play very different behavioral roles, although they coexist and interact non-sexually. At specific phases of the colony cycle, social wasp females and males are contemporaries within a nest, they often interact, although mating occurs mostly off the nest, therefore providing an opportunity to test sex discrimination in contexts other than classical sexual ones. We performed a lure presentation experiment to test if Mischocyttarus metathoracicus discriminate between conspecifics of the 2 sexes during on-nest social interactions. Female wasps discriminated conspecific sex during experimentally simulated nest intrusions. Visual and chemical cues may account for this sex discrimination. Despite sex discrimination (evidenced by differential inspective behavior from the nest females toward the female and the male lures), female wasps were as aggressive toward lures of both sexes. In the female-dominated hymenopteran societies, males are often subordinate and not aggressive on nest, resulting in females directing less aggression to them compared to other females. Instead, M. metathoracicus males and females are both aggressive toward nestmates, so they might be perceived as similar threat during on-nest social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wilson Franca
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Prato
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fábio Santos do Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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26
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Liu D, Rahman M, Johnson A, Tsutsui-Kimura I, Pena N, Talay M, Logeman BL, Finkbeiner S, Choi S, Capo-Battaglia A, Abdus-Saboor I, Ginty DD, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M, Dulac C. A Hypothalamic Circuit Underlying the Dynamic Control of Social Homeostasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.540391. [PMID: 37293031 PMCID: PMC10245688 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.540391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Social grouping increases survival in many species, including humans1,2. By contrast, social isolation generates an aversive state (loneliness) that motivates social seeking and heightens social interaction upon reunion3-5. The observed rebound in social interaction triggered by isolation suggests a homeostatic process underlying the control of social drive, similar to that observed for physiological needs such as hunger, thirst or sleep3,6. In this study, we assessed social responses in multiple mouse strains and identified the FVB/NJ line as exquisitely sensitive to social isolation. Using FVB/NJ mice, we uncovered two previously uncharacterized neuronal populations in the hypothalamic preoptic nucleus that are activated during social isolation and social rebound and that orchestrate the behavior display of social need and social satiety, respectively. We identified direct connectivity between these two populations of opposite function and with brain areas associated with social behavior, emotional state, reward, and physiological needs, and showed that animals require touch to assess the presence of others and fulfill their social need, thus revealing a brain-wide neural system underlying social homeostasis. These findings offer mechanistic insight into the nature and function of circuits controlling instinctive social need and for the understanding of healthy and diseased brain states associated with social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mostafizur Rahman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Autumn Johnson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Iku Tsutsui-Kimura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Present address: Division of Brain Sciences, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nicolai Pena
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Talay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brandon L. Logeman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Finkbeiner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Seungwon Choi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Present address: Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Athena Capo-Battaglia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naoshige Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mitsuko Watabe-Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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27
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Firman RC, André GI, Hadlow JH, Simmons LW. Intergenerational response to sperm competition risk in an invasive mammal. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222452. [PMID: 37122257 PMCID: PMC10130712 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of socially mediated phenotypic plasticity have demonstrated adaptive male responses to the 'competitive' environment. Despite this, whether variation in the paternal social environment also influences offspring reproductive potential in an intergenerational context has not yet been examined. Here, we studied the descendants of wild-caught house mice, a destructive pest species worldwide, to address this knowledge gap. We analysed traits that define a 'competitive' phenotype in the sons of males (sires) that had been exposed to either a high-male density (competitive) or high-female density (non-competitive) environment. We report disparate reproductive strategies among the sires: high-male density led to a phenotype geared for competition, while high-female density led to a phenotype that would facilitate elevated mating frequency. Moreover, we found that the competitive responses of sires persisted in the subsequent generation, with the sons of males reared under competition having elevated sperm quality. As all sons were reared under common-garden conditions, variation in their reproductive phenotypes could only have arisen via nongenetic inheritance. We discuss our results in relation to the adaptive advantage of preparing sons for sperm competition and suggest that intergenerational plasticity is a previously unconsidered aspect in invasive mammal fertility control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée C Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Gonçalo Igreja André
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jessica H Hadlow
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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28
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Yang T, Bayless DW, Wei Y, Landayan D, Marcelo IM, Wang Y, DeNardo LA, Luo L, Druckmann S, Shah NM. Hypothalamic neurons that mirror aggression. Cell 2023; 186:1195-1211.e19. [PMID: 36796363 PMCID: PMC10081867 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions require awareness and understanding of the behavior of others. Mirror neurons, cells representing an action by self and others, have been proposed to be integral to the cognitive substrates that enable such awareness and understanding. Mirror neurons of the primate neocortex represent skilled motor tasks, but it is unclear if they are critical for the actions they embody, enable social behaviors, or exist in non-cortical regions. We demonstrate that the activity of individual VMHvlPR neurons in the mouse hypothalamus represents aggression performed by self and others. We used a genetically encoded mirror-TRAP strategy to functionally interrogate these aggression-mirroring neurons. We find that their activity is essential for fighting and that forced activation of these cells triggers aggressive displays by mice, even toward their mirror image. Together, we have discovered a mirroring center in an evolutionarily ancient region that provides a subcortical cognitive substrate essential for a social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel W Bayless
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yichao Wei
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dan Landayan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ivo M Marcelo
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yangpeng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Laura A DeNardo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liqun Luo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shaul Druckmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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29
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Zilkha N, Chuartzman SG, Sofer Y, Pen Y, Cum M, Mayo A, Alon U, Kimchi T. Sex-dependent control of pheromones on social organization within groups of wild house mice. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1407-1420.e4. [PMID: 36917976 PMCID: PMC10132349 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchy is a fundamental social phenomenon in a wide range of mammalian species, critically affecting fitness and health. Here, we investigate the role of pheromone signals in the control of social hierarchies and individual personalities within groups of wild mice. For this purpose, we combine high-throughput behavioral phenotyping with computational tools in freely interacting groups of wild house mice, males and females, in an automated, semi-natural system. We show that wild mice form dominance hierarchies in both sexes but use sex-specific strategies, displaying distinct male-typical and female-typical behavioral personalities that were also associated with social ranking. Genetic disabling of VNO-mediated pheromone detection generated opposite behavioral effects within groups, enhancing social interactions in males and reducing them in females. Behavioral personalities in the mutated mice displayed mixtures of male-typical and female-typical behaviors, thus blurring sex differences. In addition, rank-associated personalities were abolished despite the fact that both sexes of mutant mice formed stable hierarchies. These findings suggest that group organization is governed by pheromone-mediated sex-specific neural circuits and pave the way to investigate the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in dominance hierarchies under naturalistic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noga Zilkha
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Yizhak Sofer
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yefim Pen
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meghan Cum
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Avi Mayo
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Uri Alon
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel.
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30
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Zuk KE, Cansler HL, Wang J, Meeks JP. Arc-Expressing Accessory Olfactory Bulb Interneurons Support Chemosensory Social Behavioral Plasticity. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1178-1190. [PMID: 36623874 PMCID: PMC9962775 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0847-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The accessory olfactory system (AOS) is critical for the development and expression of social behavior. The first dedicated circuit in the AOS, the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), exhibits cellular and network plasticity in male and female mice after social experience. In the AOB, interneurons called internal granule cells (IGCs) express the plasticity-associated immediate-early gene Arc following intermale aggression or mating. Here, we sought to better understand how Arc-expressing IGCs shape AOB information processing and social behavior in the context of territorial aggression. We used "ArcTRAP" (Arc-CreERT2) transgenic mice to selectively and permanently label Arc-expressing IGCs following male-male resident-intruder interactions. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that Arc-expressing IGCs display increased intrinsic excitability for several days after a single resident-intruder interaction. Further, we found that Arc-expressing IGCs maintain this increased excitability across repeated resident-intruder interactions, during which resident mice increase or "ramp" their aggression. We tested the hypothesis that Arc-expressing IGCs participate in ramping aggression. Using a combination of ArcTRAP mice and chemogenetics (Cre-dependent hM4D(Gi)-mCherry AAV injections), we found that disruption of Arc-expressing IGC activity during repeated resident-intruder interactions abolishes the ramping aggression exhibited by resident male mice. This work shows that Arc-expressing AOB IGC ensembles are activated by specific chemosensory environments, and play an integral role in the establishment and expression of sex-typical social behavior. These studies identify a population of plastic interneurons in an early chemosensory circuit that display physiological features consistent with simple memory formation, increasing our understanding of central chemosensory processing and mammalian social behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The accessory olfactory system plays a vital role in rodent chemosensory social behavior. We studied experience-dependent plasticity in the accessory olfactory bulb and found that internal granule cells expressing the immediate-early gene Arc after the resident-intruder paradigm increase their excitability for several days. We investigated the roles of these Arc-expressing internal granule cells on chemosensory social behavior by chemogenetically manipulating their excitability during repeated social interactions. We found that inhibiting these cells eliminated intermale aggressive ramping behavior. These studies identify a population of plastic interneurons in an early chemosensory circuit that display physiological features consistent with simple memory formation, increasing our understanding of central chemosensory processing and mammalian social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E Zuk
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Hillary L Cansler
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32603
| | - Jinxin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
| | - Julian P Meeks
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642
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31
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Muñiz‐de Miguel S, Barreiro‐Vázquez JD, Sánchez‐Quinteiro P, Ortiz‐Leal I, González‐Martínez Á. Behavioural disorder in a dog with congenital agenesis of the vomeronasal organ and the septum pellucidum. VETERINARY RECORD CASE REPORTS 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/vrc2.571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susana Muñiz‐de Miguel
- Veterinary Teaching at the Rof Codina University Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela Lugo Spain
| | - José Daniel Barreiro‐Vázquez
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
- Diagnostic Imaging Service, Rof Codina University Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela Lugo Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez‐Quinteiro
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Irene Ortiz‐Leal
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Ángela González‐Martínez
- Veterinary Teaching at the Rof Codina University Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela Lugo Spain
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32
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Ojha NK, Zufall F, Leinders-Zufall T. Optical Activation of Photoswitchable TRPC Ligands in the Mammalian Olfactory System Using Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2710:31-47. [PMID: 37688722 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3425-7_3] [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] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
The transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) ion channels play important biological roles, but their activation mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we describe recent methodological advances using small molecular probes designed for photopharmacology of TRPC channels by focusing on results obtained from the mouse olfactory system. These studies developed and used photoswitchable diacylglycerol (DAG) analogs for ultrarapid activation of native TRPC2 channels in vomeronasal sensory neurons and type B cells of the main olfactory epithelium. Further studies investigated the role of TRPC5 channels in prolactin regulation of dopamine neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Here, the first photoswitchable TRPC5 modulator, BTDAzo, was developed and shown to control endogenous TRPC5-based neuronal Ca2+ responses in mouse brain slices. Thus, photoswitchable reagents are rapidly gaining widespread recognition for investigating various types of TRPC channels including TRPC2, TRPC3, TRPC5, and TRPC6, enabling to gain new insights into the gating mechanisms and functions of these channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navin K Ojha
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Zufall
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Trese Leinders-Zufall
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
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33
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Karigo T, Deutsch D. Flexibility of neural circuits regulating mating behaviors in mice and flies. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:949781. [PMID: 36426135 PMCID: PMC9679785 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.949781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating is essential for the reproduction of animal species. As mating behaviors are high-risk and energy-consuming processes, it is critical for animals to make adaptive mating decisions. This includes not only finding a suitable mate, but also adapting mating behaviors to the animal's needs and environmental conditions. Internal needs include physical states (e.g., hunger) and emotional states (e.g., fear), while external conditions include both social cues (e.g., the existence of predators or rivals) and non-social factors (e.g., food availability). With recent advances in behavioral neuroscience, we are now beginning to understand the neural basis of mating behaviors, particularly in genetic model organisms such as mice and flies. However, how internal and external factors are integrated by the nervous system to enable adaptive mating-related decision-making in a state- and context-dependent manner is less well understood. In this article, we review recent knowledge regarding the neural basis of flexible mating behaviors from studies of flies and mice. By contrasting the knowledge derived from these two evolutionarily distant model organisms, we discuss potential conserved and divergent neural mechanisms involved in the control of flexible mating behaviors in invertebrate and vertebrate brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Karigo
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Tomomi Karigo,
| | - David Deutsch
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel,David Deutsch,
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Lin JM, Mitchell TA, Rothstein M, Pehl A, Taroc EZM, Katreddi RR, Parra KE, Zuloaga DG, Simoes-Costa M, Forni PE. Sociosexual behavior requires both activating and repressive roles of Tfap2e/AP-2ε in vomeronasal sensory neurons. eLife 2022; 11:e77259. [PMID: 36111787 PMCID: PMC9525060 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal identity dictates the position in an epithelium, and the ability to detect, process, and transmit specific signals to specified targets. Transcription factors (TFs) determine cellular identity via direct modulation of genetic transcription and recruiting chromatin modifiers. However, our understanding of the mechanisms that define neuronal identity and their magnitude remain a critical barrier to elucidate the etiology of congenital and neurodegenerative disorders. The rodent vomeronasal organ provides a unique system to examine in detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the differentiation and maturation of chemosensory neurons. Here, we demonstrated that the identity of postmitotic/maturing vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs), and vomeronasal-dependent behaviors can be reprogrammed through the rescue of Tfap2e/AP-2ε expression in the Tfap2eNull mice, and partially reprogrammed by inducing ectopic Tfap2e expression in mature apical VSNs. We suggest that the TF Tfap2e can reprogram VSNs bypassing cellular plasticity restrictions, and that it directly controls the expression of batteries of vomeronasal genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
| | - Tyler A Mitchell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
| | - Megan Rothstein
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Alison Pehl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
| | - Ed Zandro M Taroc
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
| | - Raghu R Katreddi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
| | - Katherine E Parra
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
| | - Marcos Simoes-Costa
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Paolo Emanuele Forni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New YorkAlbanyUnited States
- The RNA Institute, University at AlbanyAlbanyUnited States
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35
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Padilla-Coreano N, Tye KM, Zelikowsky M. Dynamic influences on the neural encoding of social valence. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:535-550. [PMID: 35831442 PMCID: PMC9997616 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00609-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Social signals can serve as potent emotional triggers with powerful impacts on processes from cognition to valence processing. How are social signals dynamically and flexibly associated with positive or negative valence? How do our past social experiences and present social standing shape our motivation to seek or avoid social contact? We discuss a model in which social attributes, social history, social memory, social rank and social isolation can flexibly influence valence assignment to social stimuli, termed here as 'social valence'. We emphasize how the brain encodes each of these four factors and highlight the neural circuits and mechanisms that play a part in the perception of social attributes, social memory and social rank, as well as how these factors affect valence systems associated with social stimuli. We highlight the impact of social isolation, dissecting the neural and behavioural mechanisms that mediate the effects of acute versus prolonged periods of social isolation. Importantly, we discuss conceptual models that may account for the potential shift in valence of social stimuli from positive to negative as the period of isolation extends in time. Collectively, this Review identifies factors that control the formation and attribution of social valence - integrating diverse areas of research and emphasizing their unique contributions to the categorization of social stimuli as positive or negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kay M Tye
- HHMI-Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Moriel Zelikowsky
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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36
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Karigo T. Gaining insights into the internal states of the rodent brain through vocal communications. Neurosci Res 2022; 184:1-8. [PMID: 35908736 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Animals display various behaviors during social interactions. Social behaviors have been proposed to be driven by the internal states of the animals, reflecting their emotional or motivational states. However, the internal states that drive social behaviors are complex and difficult to interpret. Many animals, including mice, use vocalizations for communication in various social contexts. This review provides an overview of current understandings of mouse vocal communications, its underlying neural circuitry, and the potential to use vocal communications as a readout for the animal's internal states during social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Karigo
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18,TianQiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125, USA; Present address: Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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37
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Hoglen NEG, Manoli DS. Cupid's quiver: Integrating sensory cues in rodent mating systems. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:944895. [PMID: 35958042 PMCID: PMC9358210 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.944895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, males and females exploit different mating strategies, display sex-typical behaviors, and use distinct systems to recognize ethologically relevant cues. Mate selection thus requires mutual recognition across diverse social interactions based on distinct sensory signals. These sex differences in courtship and mating behaviors correspond to differences in sensory systems and downstream neural substrates engaged to recognize and respond to courtship signals. In many rodents, males tend to rely heavily on volatile olfactory and pheromone cues, while females appear to be guided more by a combination of these chemosensory signals with acoustic cues in the form of ultrasonic vocalizations. The mechanisms by which chemical and acoustic cues are integrated to control behavior are understudied in mating but are known to be important in the control of maternal behaviors. Socially monogamous species constitute a behaviorally distinct group of rodents. In these species, anatomic differences between males and females outside the nervous system are less prominent than in species with non-monogamous mating systems, and both sexes engage in more symmetric social behaviors and form attachments. Nevertheless, despite the apparent similarities in behaviors displayed by monogamous males and females, the circuitry supporting social, mating, and attachment behaviors in these species is increasingly thought to differ between the sexes. Sex differences in sensory modalities most important for mate recognition in across species are of particular interest and present a wealth of questions yet to be answered. Here, we discuss how distinct sensory cues may be integrated to drive social and attachment behaviors in rodents, and the differing roles of specific sensory systems in eliciting displays of behavior by females or males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerissa E G Hoglen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Devanand S Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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38
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Katreddi RR, Taroc EZM, Hicks SM, Lin JM, Liu S, Xiang M, Forni PE. Notch signaling determines cell-fate specification of the two main types of vomeronasal neurons of rodents. Development 2022; 149:dev200448. [PMID: 35781337 PMCID: PMC9340558 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The ability of terrestrial vertebrates to find food and mating partners, and to avoid predators, relies on the detection of chemosensory information. Semiochemicals responsible for social and sexual behaviors are detected by chemosensory neurons of the vomeronasal organ (VNO), which transmits information to the accessory olfactory bulb. The vomeronasal sensory epithelium of most mammalian species contains a uniform vomeronasal system; however, rodents and marsupials have developed a more complex binary vomeronasal system, containing vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) expressing receptors of either the V1R or V2R family. In rodents, V1R/apical and V2R/basal VSNs originate from a common pool of progenitors. Using single cell RNA-sequencing, we identified differential expression of Notch1 receptor and Dll4 ligand between the neuronal precursors at the VSN differentiation dichotomy. Our experiments show that Notch signaling is required for effective differentiation of V2R/basal VSNs. In fact, Notch1 loss of function in neuronal progenitors diverts them to the V1R/apical fate, whereas Notch1 gain of function redirects precursors to V2R/basal. Our results indicate that Notch signaling plays a pivotal role in triggering the binary differentiation dichotomy in the VNO of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghu Ram Katreddi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The Center for Neuroscience Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Ed Zandro M. Taroc
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The Center for Neuroscience Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Sawyer M. Hicks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The Center for Neuroscience Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Shuting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Mengqing Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Paolo E. Forni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- The Center for Neuroscience Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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Itakura T, Murata K, Miyamichi K, Ishii KK, Yoshihara Y, Touhara K. A single vomeronasal receptor promotes intermale aggression through dedicated hypothalamic neurons. Neuron 2022; 110:2455-2469.e8. [PMID: 35654036 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The pheromonal information received by the vomeronasal system plays a crucial role in regulating social behaviors such as aggression in mice. Despite accumulating knowledge of the brain regions involved in aggression, the specific vomeronasal receptors and the exact neural circuits responsible for pheromone-mediated aggression remain unknown. Here, we identified one murine vomeronasal receptor, Vmn2r53, that is activated by urine from males of various strains and is responsible for evoking intermale aggression. We prepared a purified pheromonal fraction and Vmn2r53 knockout mice and applied genetic tools for neuronal activity recording, manipulation, and circuit tracing to decipher the neural mechanisms underlying Vmn2r53-mediated aggression. We found that Vmn2r53-mediated aggression is regulated by specific neuronal populations in the ventral premammillary nucleus and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Together, our results shed light on the hypothalamic regulation of male aggression mediated by a single vomeronasal receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Itakura
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Ken Murata
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kazunari Miyamichi
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kentaro K Ishii
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Yoshihara
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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40
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Sarno N, Hernandez-Clavijo A, Boccaccio A, Menini A, Pifferi S. Slow Inactivation of Sodium Channels Contributes to Short-Term Adaptation in Vomeronasal Sensory Neurons. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0471-21.2022. [PMID: 35487703 PMCID: PMC9116931 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0471-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptation plays an important role in sensory systems as it dynamically modifies sensitivity to allow the detection of stimulus changes. The vomeronasal system controls many social behaviors in most mammals by detecting pheromones released by conspecifics. Stimuli activate a transduction cascade in vomeronasal neurons that leads to spiking activity. Whether and how these neurons adapt to stimuli is still debated and largely unknown. Here, we measured short-term adaptation performing current-clamp whole-cell recordings by using diluted urine as a stimulus, as it contains many pheromones. We measured spike frequency adaptation in response to repeated identical stimuli of 2-10 s duration that was dependent on the time interval between stimuli. Responses to paired current steps, bypassing the signal transduction cascade, also showed spike frequency adaptation. We found that voltage-gated Na+ channels in VSNs undergo slow inactivation processes. Furthermore, recovery from slow inactivation of voltage-gated Na+ channels occurs in several seconds, a time scale similar to that measured during paired-pulse adaptation protocols, suggesting that it partially contributes to short-term spike frequency adaptation. We conclude that vomeronasal neurons do exhibit a time-dependent short-term spike frequency adaptation to repeated natural stimuli and that slow inactivation of Na+ channels contributes to this form of adaptation. These findings not only increase our knowledge about adaptation in the vomeronasal system, but also raise the question of whether slow inactivation of Na+ channels may play a role in other sensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Sarno
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Andres Hernandez-Clavijo
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Anna Boccaccio
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, 16149 Genova, Italy
| | - Anna Menini
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Simone Pifferi
- Neurobiology Group, SISSA Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Trieste, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
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41
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Dickinson SY, Kelly DA, Padilla SL, Bergan JF. From Reductionism Toward Integration: Understanding How Social Behavior Emerges From Integrated Circuits. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:862437. [PMID: 35431824 PMCID: PMC9010670 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.862437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex social behaviors are emergent properties of the brain's interconnected and overlapping neural networks. Questions aimed at understanding how brain circuits produce specific and appropriate behaviors have changed over the past half century, shifting from studies of gross anatomical and behavioral associations, to manipulating and monitoring precisely targeted cell types. This technical progression has enabled increasingly deep insights into the regulation of perception and behavior with remarkable precision. The capacity of reductionist approaches to identify the function of isolated circuits is undeniable but many behaviors require rapid integration of diverse inputs. This review examines progress toward understanding integrative social circuits and focuses on specific nodes of the social behavior network including the medial amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus (MPOA) as examples of broad integration between multiple interwoven brain circuits. Our understanding of mechanisms for producing social behavior has deepened in conjunction with advances in technologies for visualizing and manipulating specific neurons and, here, we consider emerging strategies to address brain circuit function in the context of integrative anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Y. Dickinson
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Diane A. Kelly
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Stephanie L. Padilla
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Joseph F. Bergan
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
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42
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Neural circuit control of innate behaviors. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:466-499. [PMID: 34985643 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2043-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
All animals possess a plethora of innate behaviors that do not require extensive learning and are fundamental for their survival and propagation. With the advent of newly-developed techniques such as viral tracing and optogenetic and chemogenetic tools, recent studies are gradually unraveling neural circuits underlying different innate behaviors. Here, we summarize current development in our understanding of the neural circuits controlling predation, feeding, male-typical mating, and urination, highlighting the role of genetically defined neurons and their connections in sensory triggering, sensory to motor/motivation transformation, motor/motivation encoding during these different behaviors. Along the way, we discuss possible mechanisms underlying binge-eating disorder and the pro-social effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin, elucidating the clinical relevance of studying neural circuits underlying essential innate functions. Finally, we discuss some exciting brain structures recurrently appearing in the regulation of different behaviors, which suggests both divergence and convergence in the neural encoding of specific innate behaviors. Going forward, we emphasize the importance of multi-angle and cross-species dissections in delineating neural circuits that control innate behaviors.
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Dwortz MF, Curley JP, Tye KM, Padilla-Coreano N. Neural systems that facilitate the representation of social rank. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200444. [PMID: 35000438 PMCID: PMC8743891 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Across species, animals organize into social dominance hierarchies that serve to decrease aggression and facilitate survival of the group. Neuroscientists have adopted several model organisms to study dominance hierarchies in the laboratory setting, including fish, reptiles, rodents and primates. We review recent literature across species that sheds light onto how the brain represents social rank to guide socially appropriate behaviour within a dominance hierarchy. First, we discuss how the brain responds to social status signals. Then, we discuss social approach and avoidance learning mechanisms that we propose could drive rank-appropriate behaviour. Lastly, we discuss how the brain represents memories of individuals (social memory) and how this may support the maintenance of unique individual relationships within a social group. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine F. Dwortz
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - James P. Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kay M. Tye
- Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FN 32611, USA
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44
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Inbar T, Davis R, Bergan JF. A sex-specific feedback projection from aromatase-expressing neurons in the medial amygdala to the accessory olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:648-655. [PMID: 34415057 PMCID: PMC8716422 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) plays a critical role in classifying pheromonal signals. Here we identify two previously undescribed sources of aromatase signaling in the AOB: (1) a population of aromatase-expressing neurons in the AOB itself; (2) a tract of aromatase-expressing axons which originate in the ventral medial amygdala (MEA) and terminate in the AOB. Using a retrograde tracer in conjunction with a transgenic strategy to label aromatase-expressing neurons throughout the brain, we found that a single contiguous population of neurons in the ventral MEA provides the only significant feedback by aromatase-expressing neurons to the AOB. This population expresses the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and displayed anatomical sex differences in the number of neurons (higher in male mice) and the size of cell bodies (larger in females). Given the previously established relationship between aromatase expression, estrogen signaling, and the function of sexually dimorphic circuits, we suggest that this feedback population is well-positioned to provide neuroendocrine feedback to modulate sensory processing of social stimuli in the AOB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Inbar
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
| | - Rachel Davis
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
| | - Joseph F. Bergan
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts at Amherst,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
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45
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Zha X, Xu XH. Neural circuit mechanisms that govern inter-male attack in mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7289-7307. [PMID: 34687319 PMCID: PMC11072497 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03956-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals of many species fight with conspecifics to gain access to or defend critical resources essential for survival and reproduction. Such intraspecific fighting is evolutionarily selected for in a species-, sex-, and environment-dependent manner when the value of resources secured exceeds the cost of fighting. One such example is males fighting for chances to mate with females. Recent advances in new tools open up ways to dissect the detailed neural circuit mechanisms that govern intraspecific, particularly inter-male, aggression in the model organism Mus musculus (house mouse). By targeting and functional manipulating genetically defined populations of neurons and their projections, these studies reveal a core neural circuit that controls the display of reactive male-male attacks in mice, from sensory detection to decision making and action selection. Here, we summarize these critical results. We then describe various modulatory inputs that route into the core circuit to afford state-dependent and top-down modulation of inter-male attacks. While reviewing these exciting developments, we note that how the inter-male attack circuit converges or diverges with neural circuits that mediate other forms of social interactions remain not fully understood. Finally, we emphasize the importance of combining circuit, pharmacological, and genetic analysis when studying the neural control of aggression in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zha
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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46
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Neural and Hormonal Basis of Opposite-Sex Preference by Chemosensory Signals. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158311. [PMID: 34361077 PMCID: PMC8347621 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian reproduction, sexually active males seek female conspecifics, while estrous females try to approach males. This sex-specific response tendency is called sexual preference. In small rodents, sexual preference cues are mainly chemosensory signals, including pheromones. In this article, we review the physiological mechanisms involved in sexual preference for opposite-sex chemosensory signals in well-studied laboratory rodents, mice, rats, and hamsters of both sexes, especially an overview of peripheral sensory receptors, and hormonal and central regulation. In the hormonal regulation section, we discuss potential rodent brain bisexuality, as it includes neural substrates controlling both masculine and feminine sexual preferences, i.e., masculine preference for female odors and the opposite. In the central regulation section, we show the substantial circuit regulating sexual preference and also the influence of sexual experience that innate attractants activate in the brain reward system to establish the learned attractant. Finally, we review the regulation of sexual preference by neuropeptides, oxytocin, vasopressin, and kisspeptin. Through this review, we clarified the contradictions and deficiencies in our current knowledge on the neuroendocrine regulation of sexual preference and sought to present problems requiring further study.
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Haag ES. One Gene Is Not Enough To Explain the Evolution of Homosexuality. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2289-2291. [PMID: 31705329 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01575-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Haag
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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Keller M, Chamero P. Is the Loss of Trpc2 Gene Function a Real Working Hypothesis for the Emergence of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior in Old World Primates? ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2293-2297. [PMID: 32100136 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01664-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Keller
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction & des Comportements, UMR INRAE/CNRS, Université de Tours/IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Pablo Chamero
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction & des Comportements, UMR INRAE/CNRS, Université de Tours/IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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Camperio Ciani AS. The Genetic Inactivation of the Vomero-Nasal Organ in Primates Allows the Evolution of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior But Does Not Explain Homosexual Orientation in Humans. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2277-2281. [PMID: 32333128 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01708-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Camperio Ciani
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Learning and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 12, 35131, Padua, Italy.
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Zhang Z, Nikaido M. Inactivation of ancV1R as a Predictive Signature for the Loss of Vomeronasal System in Mammals. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 12:766-778. [PMID: 32315408 PMCID: PMC7290294 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) plays a key role in sensing pheromonal cues, which elicits social and reproductive behaviors. Although the VNO is highly conserved across mammals, it has been lost in some species that have evolved alternate sensing systems during diversification. In this study, we investigate a newly identified VNO-specific gene, ancV1R, in the extant 261 species of mammals to examine the correlation between genotype (ancV1R) and phenotype (VNO). As a result, we found signatures for the relaxation of purifying selection (inactivating mutations and the elevation of dN/dS) on ancV1Rs in VNO-lacking mammals, such as catarrhine primates, cetaceans, the manatees, and several bat lineages, showing the distinct correlation between genotype and phenotype. Interestingly, we further revealed signatures for the relaxation of purifying selection on ancV1R in true seals, otters, the fossa, the owl monkey, and alcelaphine antelopes in which the existence of a functional VNO is still under debate. Our additional analyses on TRPC2, another predictive marker gene for the functional VNO, showed a relaxation of purifying selection, supporting the possibility of VNO loss in these species. The results of our present study invite more in-depth neuroanatomical investigation in mammals for which VNO function remains equivocal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicong Zhang
- Department of Computational Intelligence and Systems Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masato Nikaido
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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