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Morishita M, Kobayashi K, Mitsuzuka M, Takagi R, Ono K, Momma R, Tsuneoka Y, Horio S, Tsukahara S. Two-Step Actions of Testicular Androgens in the Organization of a Male-Specific Neural Pathway from the Medial Preoptic Area to the Ventral Tegmental Area for Modulating Sexually Motivated Behavior. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7322-7336. [PMID: 37722849 PMCID: PMC10621776 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0361-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is a sexually dimorphic region of the brain that regulates social behaviors. The sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) of the MPOA has been studied to understand sexual dimorphism, although the anatomy and physiology of the SDN is not fully understood. Here, we characterized SDN neurons that contribute to sexual dimorphism and investigated the mechanisms underlying the emergence of such neurons and their roles in social behaviors. A target-specific neuroanatomical study using transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of Calb1, a gene expressed abundantly in the SDN, revealed that SDN neurons are divided into two subpopulations, GABA neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), where they link to the dopamine system (CalbVTA neurons), and GABA neurons that extend axons in the MPOA or project to neighboring regions (CalbnonVTA neurons). CalbVTA neurons were abundant in males, but were scarce or absent in females. There was no difference in the number of CalbnonVTA neurons between sexes. Additionally, we found that emergence of CalbVTA neurons requires two testicular androgen actions that occur first in the postnatal period and second in the peripubertal period. Chemogenetic analyses of CalbVTA neurons indicated a role in modulating sexual motivation in males. Knockdown of Calb1 in the MPOA reduced the intromission required for males to complete copulation. These findings provide strong evidence that a male-specific neural pathway from the MPOA to the VTA is organized by the two-step actions of testicular androgens for the modulation of sexually motivated behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The MPOA is a sexually dimorphic region of the brain that regulates social behaviors, although its sexual dimorphism is not fully understood. Here, we describe a population of MPOA neurons that contribute to the sexual dimorphism. These neurons only exist in masculinized brains, and they project their axons to the ventral tegmental area, where they link to the dopamine system. Emergence of such neurons requires two testicular androgen actions that occur first in the postnatal period and second in the peripubertal period. These MPOA neurons endow masculinized brains with a neural pathway from the MPOA to the ventral tegmental area and modulate sexually motivated behavior in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Morishita
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Kaito Kobayashi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Moeri Mitsuzuka
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Ryo Takagi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Kota Ono
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Rami Momma
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Yousuke Tsuneoka
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo 43-8540, Japan
| | - Shuhei Horio
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shinji Tsukahara
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
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Tsuda H, Bando H, Momma R. [Study on early breast cancer]. Iryo 1967; 21:1426-32. [PMID: 4300226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Momma R, Nakagawara G, Tazaki Y. [Diagnosis of early cancer of the stomach]. Iryo 1966; 20:1044-1048. [PMID: 5978326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
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Momma R, Bando H, Tasaki Y, Kaji T. [Surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis]. Iryo 1966; 20:1013-8. [PMID: 5978324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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