| Title: | Melanocortin-5 receptor deficiency promotes defensive behavior in male mice |
| Author(s): | Morgan C; Thomas RE; Cone RD; |
| Address: | "Vollum Institute for Advanced Biomedical Research, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. cam2025@med.cornell.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.08.004 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0018-506X (Print) 0018-506X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The endogenous melanocortin, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), is a neurohormone secreted by the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. Alpha-MSH promotes intermale aggression in mice by influencing pheromone secretion, but the role of specific melanocortin receptors has not been determined. We assessed mice made deficient in the gene for the melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R) to determine its role in pheromone-regulated behavior. In heterotypic pairs assessed in the social interaction test (SIT), MC5R-deficient mice exhibited less aggressive behavior and more defensive behavior than their wild-type opponents. By contrast, when assessed in homotypic pairs and against stimulus animals in the SIT, MC5R-deficient and wild-type mice behaved similarly. Moreover, urine from MC5R deficient mice stimulated more aggression than did urine from wild-type mice. The results suggest that MC5R deficiency disinhibits an aggression-suppressing pheromonal signal" |
| Keywords: | "Aggression/*physiology Animals Behavior, Animal/*physiology Male Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Knockout Odorants Pheromones/*physiology Receptors, Corticotropin/*deficiency/*physiology Receptors, Melanocortin *Social Behavior;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineMorgan, Caurnel Thomas, Ruth E Cone, Roger D eng DK51730/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/ T32 DK07680/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 2004/01/22 Horm Behav. 2004 Jan; 45(1):58-63. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.08.004" |
