| Title: | Diminished pheromone-induced sexual behavior in neurokinin-1 receptor deficient (TACR1(-/-)) mice |
| Author(s): | Berger A; Tran AH; Dida J; Minkin S; Gerard NP; Yeomans J; Paige CJ; |
| Address: | "Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. aberger@uhnres.utoronto.ca" |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2012.00787.x |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1601-183X (Electronic) 1601-183X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Studies in mice with targeted deletions of tachykinin genes suggest that tachykinins and their receptors influence emotional behaviors such as aggression, depression and anxiety. Here, we investigated whether TAC1- and TAC4-encoded peptides (substance P and hemokinin-1, respectively) and the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) are involved in the modulation of sexual behaviors. Male mice deficient for the NK-1R (TACR1 (-/-)) exhibited decreased exploration of female urine in contrast to C57BL/6 control mice and mice deficient for NK-1R ligands such as TAC1 (-/-), TAC4 (-/-) and the newly generated TAC1 (-/-) /TAC4 (-/-) mice. In comparison to C57BL/6 mice, mounting frequency and duration were decreased in male TACR1 (-/-) mice, while mounting latency was increased. Decreased preference for sexual pheromones was also seen in female TACR1 (-/-) mice. Furthermore, administration of the NK-1R-antagonist L-703,606 decreased investigation of female urine by male C57BL/6 mice, suggesting an involvement of NK-1R in urine sniffing behavior. Our results provide evidence for the NK-1R in facilitating sexual approach behavior, as male TACR1 (-/-) mice exhibited blunted approach behavior toward females following the initial interaction compared with C57BL/6 mice. NK-1R signaling may therefore play an important role in pheromone-induced sexual behavior" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Choice Behavior/physiology Female Male Mice Mice, Knockout *Pheromones Receptors, Neurokinin-1/*genetics/metabolism Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Smell/*genetics Social Behavior Substance P/genetics/metabolism Tachykinins/genetics/metabolism;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBerger, A Tran, A H Dida, J Minkin, S Gerard, N P Yeomans, J Paige, C J eng 9862/Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2012/04/05 Genes Brain Behav. 2012 Jul; 11(5):568-76. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2012.00787.x. Epub 2012 Apr 26" |
