Peripheral oxytocin injection modulates vomeronasal sensory activity and reduces pup-directed aggression in male mice.
Sci Rep
; 10(1): 19943, 2020 11 17.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33203885
ABSTRACT
Behaviors are shaped by hormones, which may act either by changing brain circuits or by modifying sensory detection of relevant cues. Pup-directed behaviors have been previously shown to change via action of hormones at the brain level. Here, we investigated hormonal control of pup-induced activity in the vomeronasal organ, an olfactory sensory structure involved in the detection of non-volatile chemosignals. Vomeronasal activity decreases as males switch from a pup-aggressive state to a non-aggressive parenting state, after they socially contact a female. RNA sequencing, qPCR, and in situ hybridization were used to identify expression, in the vomeronasal sensory epithelium, of candidate GPCR hormone receptors chosen by in silico analyses and educated guesses. After identifying that oxytocin and vasopressin receptors are expressed in the vomeronasal organ, we injected the corresponding hormones in mice and showed that oxytocin administration reduced both pup-induced vomeronasal activity and aggressive behavior. Conversely, injection of an oxytocin receptor antagonist in female-primed male animals, which normally exhibit reduced vomeronasal activity, significantly increased the number of active vomeronasal neurons. These data link oxytocin to the modulation of olfactory sensory activity, providing a possible mechanism for changes in male behavior after social experience with females.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Oxytocics
/
Oxytocin
/
Biomarkers
/
Receptors, Oxytocin
/
Vomeronasal Organ
/
Aggression
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Rep
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Country of publication:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
/
GB
/
GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
/
SCOTLAND
/
UK
/
UNITED KINGDOM