Dataset Information

Sexually dimorphic neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus govern mating in both sexes and aggression in males.

ABSTRACT: Sexual dimorphisms in the brain underlie behavioral sex differences, but the function of individual sexually dimorphic neuronal populations is poorly understood. Neuronal sexual dimorphisms typically represent quantitative differences in cell number, gene expression, or other features, and it is unknown whether these dimorphisms control sex-typical behavior exclusively in one sex or in both sexes. The progesterone receptor (PR) controls female sexual behavior, and we find many sex differences in number, distribution, or projections of PR-expressing neurons in the adult mouse brain. Using a genetic strategy we developed, we have ablated one such dimorphic PR-expressing neuronal population located in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). Ablation of these neurons in females greatly diminishes sexual receptivity. Strikingly, the corresponding ablation in males reduces mating and aggression. Our findings reveal the functions of a molecularly defined, sexually dimorphic neuronal population in the brain. Moreover, we show that sexually dimorphic neurons can control distinct sex-typical behaviors in both sexes.

SUBMITTER: Yang CF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3767768 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Sexually dimorphic neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus govern mating in both sexes and aggression in males.

Yang Cindy F CF Chiang Michael C MC Gray Daniel C DC Prabhakaran Mahalakshmi M Alvarado Maricruz M Juntti Scott A SA Unger Elizabeth K EK Wells James A JA Shah Nirao M NM

Cell 20130501 4

Sexual dimorphisms in the brain underlie behavioral sex differences, but the function of individual sexually dimorphic neuronal populations is poorly understood. Neuronal sexual dimorphisms typically represent quantitative differences in cell number, gene expression, or other features, and it is unknown whether these dimorphisms control sex-typical behavior exclusively in one sex or in both sexes. The progesterone receptor (PR) controls female sexual behavior, and we find many sex differences in ...[more]

PMID: 23663785

Similar Datasets

Project description:Galanin-like peptide (GALP) neurones participate in the metabolic control of reproduction and are targets of insulin and leptin regulation. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is common to the signalling pathways utilised by both insulin and leptin. Therefore, we investigated whether PI3K signalling in neurones expressing GALP plays a role in the transcriptional regulation of the GALP gene and in the metabolic control of luteinising hormone (LH) release. Accordingly, we deleted PI3K catalytic subunits p110? and p110? via conditional gene targeting (cKO) in mice (GALP-p110?/? cKO). To monitor PI3K signalling in GALP neurones, these animals were also crossed with Cre-dependent FoxO1GFP reporter mice. Compared to insulin-infused control animals, the PI3K-Akt-dependent FoxO1GFP nuclear exclusion in GALP neurones was abolished in GALP-p110?/? cKO mice. We next used food deprivation to investigate whether the GALP-neurone specific ablation of PI3K activity affected the susceptibility of the gonadotrophic axis to negative energy balance. Treatment did not affect LH levels in either sex. However, a significant genotype effect on LH levels was observed in females. By contrast, no genotype effect on LH levels was observed in males. A sex-specific genotype effect on hypothalamic GALP mRNA was observed, with fed and fasted GALP-p110?/? cKO males having lower GALP mRNA expression compared to wild-type fed males. Finally, the effects of gonadectomy and steroid hormone replacement on GALP mRNA levels were investigated. Compared to vehicle-treated mice, steroid hormone replacement reduced mediobasal hypothalamus GALP expression in wild-type and GALP-p110?/? cKO animals. In addition, within the castrated and vehicle-treated group and compared to wild-type mice, LH levels were lower in GALP-p110?/? cKO males. Double immunofluorescence using GALP-Cre/R26-YFP mice showed androgen and oestrogen receptor co-localisation within GALP neurones. Our data demonstrate that GALP neurones are direct targets of steroid hormones and that PI3K signalling regulates hypothalamic GALP mRNA expression and LH levels in a sex-specific fashion.

Dataset Information

Sexually dimorphic neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus govern mating in both sexes and aggression in males.

Publications

Sexually dimorphic neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus govern mating in both sexes and aggression in males.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure