1
|
Zhu T, Li W. The regulation of prolactin secretion and its targeting function of teleost. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 354:114530. [PMID: 38657738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Prolactin is involved in regulating various physiological activities of vertebrates and is one of the most momentous pituitary hormones. However, not enough attention is currently paid to prolactin, especially in teleost. This paper aims to gather, organize, and analyze recent studies on the regulation and functions of prolactin. By comparing with other animal groups, it highlights the significant role of prolactin in fish reproduction, immunity, growth, and osmotic pressure regulation, as well as the upstream and downstream factors that may be involved in the regulation of prolactin functions were introduced to provide a theoretical basis for the in-depth study and potential practical application of prolactin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiansheng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Healthy Breeding of Important Economic Fish, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 China
| | - Wensheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Healthy Breeding of Important Economic Fish, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Peña F, Serantes D, Rivas M, Castro JP, Torterolo P, Rodríguez-Camejo C, Hernández A, Benedetto L. Acute and chronic sleep restriction differentially modify maternal behavior and milk macronutrient composition in the postpartum rat. Physiol Behav 2024; 278:114522. [PMID: 38492909 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114522] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Sleep restriction is considered a stressful condition itself, causing a wide variety of physiological alterations, from cognitive and hormonal to immunological status. In addition, it is established that stress in mother rats can modify milk ejection, milk composition, and maternal care of the pups. Also, sleep disturbances during the early stages of motherhood are a common feature of all studied species. In this context, while the impacts of sleep disruption in non-lactating animals were extensively investigated, its repercussions during the initial phases of motherhood have been poorly explored. Therefore, we wonder if maternal behavior, milk ejection and its macronutrient composition would be disrupted when mother rats are subjected to an additional acute or chronic sleep restriction to the already existing sleep disturbances. METHODS Lactating rats were implanted with unilateral electrodes for polysomnographic recordings and for deep brain electrical stimulation into mesopontine waking-promoting area (for sleep deprivation). During the early postpartum period (postpartum day 5-9), mother rats were randomly assigned into one of three groups: chronic sleep restriction group (CSR; 6 h of sleep deprivation/day for five consecutive days), acute sleep restriction group (ASR; 6 h of sleep deprivation only for one day), or undisturbed group (control group). Active maternal behaviors (retrievals of the pups into the nest, mouthing, lickings [corporal and anogenital] and sniffing the pups) and passive maternal behaviors (kyphotic and supine nursing postures) were evaluated during a 30 min period without sleep restriction immediately after the sleep restriction or control period. The litter weight gain was assessed every day, and on the last experimental session mothers were milked for posterior macronutrients analysis (protein, carbohydrates and fat). RESULTS When compared to control group, CSR decreased the amount of milk ejected in the middle days of the sleep restriction period, while ASR did not affect this parameter. Moreover, ASR reduced milk protein content compared to control and CSR groups. Finally, compared to the control group, CSR reduced active maternal behaviors towards the end of the treatment days. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that not only acute but also chronic sleep restriction impacts on the postpartum period, each one affecting different aspects of maternal behavior and lactation. Our results suggest the existence of a homeostatic recovery mechanism in breastfeeding during CSR, possibly ensuring the survival of the litter, while the decline in active maternal behaviors appears to be cumulative.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Peña
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Diego Serantes
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mayda Rivas
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Juan Pedro Castro
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Torterolo
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Claudio Rodríguez-Camejo
- Área Inmunología, Departamento de Biociencias (DEPBIO), Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Unidad Asociada de Inmunología, Instituto de Química Biológica (IQB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Laboratorio de Inmunología, Instituto de Higiene "Prof. Arnoldo Berta", Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Ana Hernández
- Área Inmunología, Departamento de Biociencias (DEPBIO), Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Unidad Asociada de Inmunología, Instituto de Química Biológica (IQB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Laboratorio de Inmunología, Instituto de Higiene "Prof. Arnoldo Berta", Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Luciana Benedetto
- Unidad Académica de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Benedict J, Cudmore RH, Oden D, Spruell A, Linden DJ. The lateral habenula is required for maternal behavior in the mouse dam. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.577842. [PMID: 38405910 PMCID: PMC10888914 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.577842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian parenting is an unusually demanding commitment. How did evolution co-opt the reward system to ensure parental care? Previous work has implicated the lateral habenula (LHb), an epithalamic nucleus, as a potential intersection of parenting behavior and reward. Here, we examine the role of the LHb in the maternal behavior of naturally parturient mouse dams. We show that kainic acid lesions of the LHb induced a severe maternal neglect phenotype in dams towards their biological pups. Next, we demonstrate that through chronic chemogenetic inactivation of the LHb using DREADDs impaired acquisition and performance of various maternal behaviors, such as pup retrieval and nesting. We present a random intercepts model suggesting LHb-inactivation prevents the acquisition of the novel pup retrieval maternal behavior and decreases nest building performance, an already-established behavior, in primiparous mouse dams. Lastly, we examine the spatial histology of kainic-acid treated dams with a random intercepts model, which suggests that the role of LHb in maternal behavior may be preferentially localized at the posterior aspect of this structure. Together, these findings serve to establish the LHb as required for maternal behavior in the mouse dam, thereby complementing previous findings implicating the LHb in parental behavior using pup-sensitized virgin female mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Benedict
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robert H Cudmore
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California -Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Diarra Oden
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Aleah Spruell
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David J Linden
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Csikós V, Oláh S, Dóra F, Arrasz N, Cservenák M, Dobolyi A. Microglia depletion prevents lactation by inhibition of prolactin secretion. iScience 2023; 26:106264. [PMID: 36936786 PMCID: PMC10014264 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106264] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglial cells were eliminated from the brain with sustained 3-4 weeks long inhibition of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor by Pexidartinib 3397 (PLX3397). The prepartum treated mice mothers did not feed their pups after parturition. The pups of mothers treated orally only in the postpartum period starting immediately after parturition showed reduced body weight by 15.5 ± 0.22 postnatal days as the treatment progressed without the mothers showing altered caring behaviors. The apparent weight gain of foster pups during a suckling bout was reduced in mother mice fed by PLX3397-containing diet and also in rat dams following sustained intracerebroventricular infusion of PLX3397 in a separate experiment suggesting that lactation was affected by the reduced number of microglia. Prolactin secretion and signaling were markedly reduced in PLX3397-treated mothers. The results suggest that microglial cells are required for prolactin secretion and lactation whereas maternal motivation may not be directly affected by microglia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivien Csikós
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Oláh
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Dóra
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Arrasz
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Melinda Cservenák
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arpád Dobolyi
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Haimson B, Mizrahi A. Plasticity in auditory cortex during parenthood. Hear Res 2023; 431:108738. [PMID: 36931020 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Most animals display robust parental behaviors that support the survival and well-being of their offspring. The manifestation of parental behaviors is accompanied by physiological and hormonal changes, which affect both the body and the brain for better care giving. Rodents exhibit a behavior called pup retrieval - a stereotyped sequence of perception and action - used to identify and retrieve their newborn pups back to the nest. Pup retrieval consists of a significant auditory component, which depends on plasticity in the auditory cortex (ACx). We review the evidence of neural changes taking place in the ACx of rodents during the transition to parenthood. We discuss how the plastic changes both in and out of the ACx support the encoding of pup vocalizations. Key players in the mechanism of this plasticity are hormones and experience, both of which have a clear dynamic signature during the transition to parenthood. Mothers, co caring females, and fathers have been used as models to understand parental plasticity at disparate levels of organization. Yet, common principles of cortical plasticity and the biological mechanisms underlying its involvement in parental behavior are just beginning to be unpacked.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baruch Haimson
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, and 2Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Adi Mizrahi
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, and 2Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mota-Rojas D, Bienboire-Frosini C, Marcet-Rius M, Domínguez-Oliva A, Mora-Medina P, Lezama-García K, Orihuela A. Mother-young bond in non-human mammals: Neonatal communication pathways and neurobiological basis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1064444. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1064444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mother-young bonding is a process by which the young establish social preferences for their mother. It fosters reproductive success and the survival of offspring by providing food, heat, and maternal care. This process promotes the establishment of the mother-young bond through the interaction of olfactory, auditory, tactile, visual, and thermal stimuli. The neural integration of multimodal sensory stimuli and attachment is coordinated into motor responses. The sensory and neurobiological mechanisms involved in filial recognition in precocial and altricial mammals are summarized and analyzed in this review.
Collapse
|
7
|
Inhibition of the medial amygdala disrupts escalated aggression in lactating female mice after repeated exposure to male intruders. Commun Biol 2022; 5:980. [PMID: 36114351 PMCID: PMC9481530 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03928-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Virgin female laboratory mice readily express pup care when co-housed with dams and pups. However, pup-sensitized virgins fail to express intruder-directed aggression on a single session of testing. To study whether repeated testing would affect the onset and dynamics of maternal or intruder-directed aggression, we tested dams and their accompanying virgins from postpartum day 4 to 6. Repeated testing led to escalated aggression towards male intruders in dams, but virgins never developed aggression. In dams, inhibition of the medial amygdala using DREADD (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) vectors carrying the hM4Di receptor blocked the expected increase in maternal aggression on the second testing day. Our data support that the onset of maternal aggression is linked to physiological changes occurring during motherhood, and that medial amygdala, a key centre integrating vomeronasal, olfactory and hormonal information, enables the expression of escalated aggression induced by repeated testing. Future studies selectively targeting specific neuronal populations of the medial amygdala are needed to allow a deeper understanding of the control of experience-dependent aggression increase, a phenomenon leading to the high aggression levels found in violent behaviours. The onset of maternal aggression in mice is dependent on physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and lactation, and the medial amygdala is key in the expression of escalated aggression induced by repeated testing.
Collapse
|
8
|
Navarro-Moreno C, Barneo-Muñoz M, Ibáñez-Gual MV, Lanuza E, Agustín-Pavón C, Sánchez-Catalán MJ, Martínez-García F. Becoming a mother shifts the activity of the social and motivation brain networks in mice. iScience 2022; 25:104525. [PMID: 35754727 PMCID: PMC9218376 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104525] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy hormones increase motivated pup-directed behaviors. We here analyze hormone-induced changes in brain activity, by comparing cFos-immunoreactivity in the sociosexual (SBN) and motivation brain networks (including medial preoptic area, MPO) of virgin versus late-pregnant pup-naïve female mice exposed to pups or buttons (control). Pups activate more the SBN than buttons in both late-pregnant and virgin females. By contrast, pregnancy increases pup-elicited activity in the motivation circuitry (e.g. accumbens core) but reduces button-induced activity and, consequently, button investigation. Principal components analysis supports the identity of the social and motivation brain circuits, placing the periaqueductal gray between both systems. Linear discriminant analysis of cFos-immunoreactivity in the socio-motivational brain network predicts the kind of female and stimulus better than the activity of the MPO alone; this suggests that the neuroendocrinological basis of social (e.g. maternal) behaviors conforms to a neural network model, rather than to distinct hierarchical linear pathways for different behaviors. Pups activate the sociosexual brain network of females more than nonsocial objects Pregnancy boosts motivation for pups and reduces incentive salience of buttons During pregnancy, specific circuits govern decision of caring or attacking pups The socio-motivational brain works as a network rather than a labelled-line circuit
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cinta Navarro-Moreno
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UJI. Predepartamental Unit of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló. Campus Riu Sec. Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, Castelló de la Plana 12071, Spain
| | - Manuela Barneo-Muñoz
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UJI. Predepartamental Unit of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló. Campus Riu Sec. Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, Castelló de la Plana 12071, Spain
| | - María Victoria Ibáñez-Gual
- Department of Mathematics, IMAC, School of Technology and Experimental Sciences (ESTCE), Universitat Jaume I de Castelló. Campus Riu Sec. Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, Castelló de la Plana 12071, Spain
| | - Enrique Lanuza
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UV. Department of Cell and Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de València. C. Doctor Moliner 50, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Carmen Agustín-Pavón
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UV. Department of Cell and Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de València. C. Doctor Moliner 50, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - María José Sánchez-Catalán
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UJI. Predepartamental Unit of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló. Campus Riu Sec. Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, Castelló de la Plana 12071, Spain
| | - Fernando Martínez-García
- Joint Research Unit on Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun) - UJI. Predepartamental Unit of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló. Campus Riu Sec. Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, Castelló de la Plana 12071, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Costa-Brito AR, Gonçalves I, Santos CRA. The brain as a source and a target of prolactin in mammals. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1695-1702. [PMID: 35017416 PMCID: PMC8820687 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.332124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolactin is a polypeptide hormone associated with an extensive variety of biological functions. Among the roles of prolactin in vertebrates, some were preserved throughout evolution. This is the case of its function in the brain, where prolactin receptors, are expressed in different structures of the central nervous system. In the brain, prolactin actions are principally associated with reproduction and parental behavior, and involves the modulation of adult neurogenesis, neuroprotection, and neuroplasticity, especially during pregnancy, thereby preparing the brain to parenthood. Prolactin is mainly produced by specialized cells in the anterior pituitary gland. However, during vertebrate evolution many other extrapituitary tissues do also produce prolactin, like the immune system, endothelial cells, reproductive structures and in several regions of the brain. This review summarizes the relevance of prolactin for brain function, the sources of prolactin in the central nervous system, as well as its local production and secretion. A highlight on the impact of prolactin in human neurological diseases is also provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana R Costa-Brito
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Isabel Gonçalves
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre; C4-UBI -Cloud Computing Competence Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Cecília R A Santos
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre; C4-UBI -Cloud Computing Competence Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Georgescu T, Swart JM, Grattan DR, Brown RSE. The Prolactin Family of Hormones as Regulators of Maternal Mood and Behavior. Front Glob Womens Health 2021; 2:767467. [PMID: 34927138 PMCID: PMC8673487 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2021.767467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transition into motherhood involves profound physiological and behavioral adaptations that ensure the healthy development of offspring while maintaining maternal health. Dynamic fluctuations in key hormones during pregnancy and lactation induce these maternal adaptations by acting on neural circuits in the brain. Amongst these hormonal changes, lactogenic hormones (e.g., prolactin and its pregnancy-specific homolog, placental lactogen) are important regulators of these processes, and their receptors are located in key brain regions controlling emotional behaviors and maternal responses. With pregnancy and lactation also being associated with a marked elevation in the risk of developing mood disorders, it is important to understand how hormones are normally regulating mood and behavior during this time. It seems likely that pathological changes in mood could result from aberrant expression of these hormone-induced behavioral responses. Maternal mental health problems during pregnancy and the postpartum period represent a major barrier in developing healthy mother-infant interactions which are crucial for the child's development. In this review, we will examine the role lactogenic hormones play in driving a range of specific maternal behaviors, including motivation, protectiveness, and mother-pup interactions. Understanding how these hormones collectively act in a mother's brain to promote nurturing behaviors toward offspring will ultimately assist in treatment development and contribute to safeguarding a successful pregnancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teodora Georgescu
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Judith M. Swart
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David R. Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rosemary S. E. Brown
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Swart JM, Grattan DR, Ladyman SR, Brown RSE. Changes in maternal motivation across reproductive states in mice: A role for prolactin receptor activation on GABA neurons. Horm Behav 2021; 135:105041. [PMID: 34385119 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The survival of newborn offspring in mammals is dependent on sustained maternal care. Mammalian mothers are highly motivated to interact with and care for offspring, however, it is unclear how hormonal signals act on neural circuitry to promote maternal motivation during the transition to motherhood. In this study we aimed to establish methods that enable us to evaluate change in maternal motivation across the reproductive life cycle in female mice. Using two behavioural testing paradigms; a novel T-maze retrieval test and a barrier climbing test, we found that pup retrieval behaviour was low in virgin and pregnant mice compared to lactating females, indicating that maternal motivation arises around the time of parturition. Furthermore, in reproductively experienced females, maternal motivation declined over time after weaning of pups. As we have previously shown that lactogenic action mediated through the prolactin receptor (Prlr) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is essential for the expression of maternal behaviour, we aimed to investigate the role of lactogenic hormones in promoting pup-related motivational behaviours. With GABAergic neurons expressing Prlr in multiple brain regions important for maternal behaviour, we conditionally deleted Prlr from GABA neurons. Compared to control females, lactating GABA neuron-specific Prlr knockout mice showed slower and incomplete pup retrieval behaviour in the T-maze test. Testing of anxiety behaviour on an elevated plus maze indicated that these mice did not have increased anxiety levels, suggesting that lactogenic action on GABA neurons is necessary for the full expression of motivational aspects of maternal behaviour during lactation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith M Swart
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David R Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sharon R Ladyman
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Rosemary S E Brown
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Navarro-Moreno C, Sanchez-Catalan MJ, Barneo-Muñoz M, Goterris-Cerisuelo R, Belles M, Lanuza E, Agustin-Pavon C, Martinez-Garcia F. Pregnancy Changes the Response of the Vomeronasal and Olfactory Systems to Pups in Mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:593309. [PMID: 33390905 PMCID: PMC7775479 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.593309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motherhood entails changes in behavior with increased motivation for pups, induced in part by pregnancy hormones acting upon the brain. This work explores whether this alters sensory processing of pup-derived chemosignals. To do so, we analyse the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) in the vomeronasal organ (VNO; Egr1) and centers of the olfactory and vomeronasal brain pathways (cFos) in virgin and late-pregnant females exposed to pups, as compared to buttons (socially neutral control). In pup-exposed females, we quantified diverse behaviors including pup retrieval, sniffing, pup-directed attack, nest building and time in nest or on nest, as well as time off nest. Pups induce Egr1 expression in the VNO of females, irrespective of their physiological condition, thus suggesting the existence of VNO-detected pup chemosignals. A similar situation is found in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) and posteromedial part of the medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTMPM). By contrast, in the medial amygdala and posteromedial cortical amygdala (PMCo), responses to pups-vs-buttons are different in virgin and late-pregnant females, thus suggesting altered sensory processing during late pregnancy. The olfactory system also shows changes in sensory processing with pregnancy. In the main olfactory bulbs, as well as the anterior and posterior piriform cortex, buttons activate cFos expression in virgins more than in pregnant females. By contrast, in the anterior and especially posterior piriform cortex, pregnant females show more activation by pups than buttons. Correlation between IEGs expression and behavior suggests the existence of two vomeronasal subsystems: one associated to pup care (with PMCo as its main center) and another related to pup-directed aggression observed in some pregnant females (with the BSTMPM as the main nucleus). Our data also suggest a coactivation of the olfactory and vomeronasal systems during interaction with pups in pregnant females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cinta Navarro-Moreno
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Sanchez-Catalan
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Manuela Barneo-Muñoz
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Rafael Goterris-Cerisuelo
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Maria Belles
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Enrique Lanuza
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Departament de Biologia Cellular, Funcional i Antropologia, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmen Agustin-Pavon
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Departament de Biologia Cellular, Funcional i Antropologia, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Martinez-Garcia
- Lab of Functional Neuroanatomy (NeuroFun-UJI-UV), Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| |
Collapse
|