Attraction to male pheromones and sexual behaviour show different regulatory mechanisms in female mice

Moncho-Bogani, José; Lanuza, Enrique; Lorente, María José; Martı́nez-Garcı́a, Fernando

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.01.014

Cited by 38 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…However, analysis of individual data revealed that estrous cycle stage had no effect on expression of male-directed odor preference. In agreement with this finding, Moncho-Bogani et al (2004) demonstrated the hormonal independence of male-directed odor preference. Indeed, female mice still preferred investigating the odor of male mouse rather than the odor of female mouse following ovariectomy.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Peripubertal exposure to male chemosignals accelerates vaginal opening and induces male-directed odor preference in female mice

et al. 2015

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Reproductive physiology in female mouse is profoundly affected by male odor. A well-known effect of male odor is the acceleration of puberty onset in prepubertal female mice exposed to male urine. Whether peripubertal exposure to male odor also influences female sexual behavior in adulthood is poorly known. Recently, we reported that female mice exposed to male-soiled bedding showed advanced vaginal opening associated with early expression of male-directed odor preference in adulthood. The aim of the present study is to determine whether peripubertal exposure to male urinary chemosignals affects both occurrence of vaginal opening and attraction to male odor at older age in female mice. Therefore, we exposed female mice to (1R, 5S, 7R)-3,4-dehydro-exo-brevicomin (DHB), 6-hydroxy-6-methyl-3-heptanone (HMH) and (S)-2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole (SBT), individually or in mixture, from postnatal day (PD) 21 to PD38 and monitored the occurrence of vaginal opening. We measured then the time that the female mice spent sniffing male and female mouse urinary volatiles at PD45. As expected, peripubertal exposure to DHB, HMH, or SBT accelerated vaginal opening in female mice. In addition, we showed that exposure to a mixture of these three compounds induced expression of male-directed odor preference at PD45, contrary to the single exposure to each of these molecules. In conclusion, the volatile compounds DHB, HMH and SBT in urine of male mice influence both occurrence of vaginal opening and adult expression of male-directed odor preference in female mice.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Peripubertal exposure to male chemosignals accelerates vaginal opening and induces male-directed odor preference in female mice

et al. 2015

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“…Neurons in MPOA express receptors for estradiol and progesterone (Du et al, 1996; Li et al, 1993), and gonadal steroids strongly regulate other precopulatory behaviors that are disrupted following MPOA lesions, such as ultrasonic vocalizations (Floody, 1989; Floody et al, 1979). Although there is evidence in rats to suggest that estrogen alone or estrogen plus progesterone treatment may enhance the preference for male stimuli in females (Clark et al, 2004; Xiao et al, 2005), this does not appear to be the case in either mice (Moncho-Bogani et al, 2004) or hamsters (Eidson et al, 2007). Indeed, female hamsters display a robust preference for male odors across the estrous cycle (Eidson et al, 2007; Martinez and Petrulis, 2011; Martinez et al, 2010) and following ovariectomy (Eidson et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The medial preoptic area is necessary for sexual odor preference, but not sexual solicitation, in female Syrian hamsters

Martínez¹,

Petrulis²

2013

Hormones and Behavior

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Precopulatory behaviors that are preferentially directed towards opposite-sex conspecifics are critical for successful reproduction, particularly in species wherein the sexes live in isolation, such as Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). In females, these behaviors include sexual odor preference and vaginal scent marking. The neural regulation of precopulatory behaviors is thought to involve a network of forebrain areas that includes the medial amygdala (MA), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Although MA and BNST are necessary for sexual odor preference and preferential vaginal marking to male odors, respectively, the role of MPOA in odor-guided female precopulatory behaviors is not well understood. To address this issue, female Syrian hamsters with bilateral, excitotoxic lesions of MPOA (MPOA-X) or sham lesions (SHAM) were tested for sexual odor investigation, scent marking, and lordosis. MPOA-X females did not investigate male odors more than female odors in an odor preference test, indicating that MPOA may be necessary for normal sexual odor preference in female hamsters. This loss of preference cannot be attributed to a sensory deficit, since MPOA-X females successfully discriminated male odors from female odors during an odor discrimination test. Surprisingly, no deficits in vaginal scent marking were observed in MPOA-X females, although these females did exhibit decreased overall levels of flank marking compared to SHAM females. Finally, all MPOA-X females exhibited lordosis appropriately. These results suggest that MPOA plays a critical role in the neural regulation of certain aspects of odor-guided precopulatory behaviors in female Syrian hamsters.

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“…By contrast, in most experiments by Keller and co-workers that found innate attraction for male volatiles, female mice were treated with steroids (estradiol implants plus progesterone injections) to induce a behavioural oestrus, thus suggesting that preference for male urinary volatiles might be restricted to oestrus. If this explanation were correct, the innate attraction for male volatiles would differ from that for non-volatile pheromones, which is present in ovariectomized females (Moncho-Bogani et al 2004) even though there is some evidence for steroid modulation of VNO sensitivity (see Baum and Bakker, 2013).…”

Section: A Volatile Male Sexual Pheromones: Chemical Species and Thementioning

confidence: 99%

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

Martín‐Sánchez

McLean

Beynon

et al. 2015

Hormones and Behavior

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From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance, Hormones and Behavior (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT2 AbstractThis paper reviews the role of chemosignals in the socio-sexual interactions of female mice, and reports two experiments testing the role of pup-derived chemosignals and the male sexual pheromone darcin in inducing and promoting maternal aggression. Female mice are attracted to urine-borne male pheromones. Volatile and non-volatile urine fractions have been proposed to contain olfactory and vomeronasal pheromones. In particular, the male-specific major urinary protein (MUP) MUP20, darcin, has been shown to be rewarding and attractive to females. Non-urinary male chemosignals, such as the lacrimal protein ESP1, promote lordosis in female mice, but its attractive properties are still to be tested. There is evidence indicating that ESP1 and MUPs are detected by vomeronasal type 2 receptors (V2R).When a female mouse becomes pregnant, she undergoes dramatic changes in her physiology and behaviour. She builds a nest for her pups and takes care of them. Dams also defend the nest against conspecific intruders, attacking especially gonadally intact males. Maternal behaviour is dependent on a functional olfactory system, thus suggesting a role of chemosignals in the development of maternal behaviour. Our first experiment demonstrates, however, that pup chemosignals are not sufficient to induce maternal aggression in virgin females. In addition, it is known that vomeronasal stimuli are needed for maternal aggression.Since MUPs (and other molecules) are able to promote intermale aggression, in our second experiment we test if the attractive MUP darcin also promotes attacks on castrated male intruders by lactating dams. Our findings demonstrate that the same chemosignal, darcin, promotes attraction or aggression according to female reproductive state.

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Attraction to male pheromones and sexual behaviour show different regulatory mechanisms in female mice

Cited by 38 publications

References 62 publications

Peripubertal exposure to male chemosignals accelerates vaginal opening and induces male-directed odor preference in female mice

Peripubertal exposure to male chemosignals accelerates vaginal opening and induces male-directed odor preference in female mice

The medial preoptic area is necessary for sexual odor preference, but not sexual solicitation, in female Syrian hamsters

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

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