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Brain Res Bull

Title:		Forebrain Fos responses to reproductively related chemosensory cues in aromatase knockout mice
Author(s):		Aste N; Honda S; Harada N;
Address:		"Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan. nico@fujita-hu.ac.jp"
Journal Title:		Brain Res Bull
Year:		2003
Volume:		60
Issue:		3
Page Number:		191 - 200
DOI:		10.1016/s0361-9230(03)00035-2
ISSN/ISBN:		0361-9230 (Print) 0361-9230 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Sexually relevant pheromonal cues are detected by the vomeronasal system which includes the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala, the posteromedial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial preoptic area. Copulatory behavior is impaired in mice lacking functional aromatase, the enzyme converting testosterone into estradiol. In this study, we used male aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice to investigate the role of aromatase in the differentiation and activation of preference for male- or female-related odorants. Moreover, using Fos immunoreactivity as a marker of neuronal activation we investigated the ability of sex-related pheromonal cues to activate the vomeronasal system. Both gonadally intact wild-type and ArKO mice preferred to investigate urine from females. The lack of estrogens did not reverse odor preferences, i.e. male ArKO mice did not show a preference for male odors. Exposure to soiled bedding from females induced Fos-protein in the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala, in the posteromedial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and in the periventricular part of the medial preoptic area of both the genotypes. Exposure to soiled bedding from intact males induced Fos in the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala in wild-type mice and in the periventricular medial preoptic area in wild-type and ArKO mice. These results suggest that preference for female-related odors and the Fos-mediated activation of the vomeronasal system do not rely on estradiol. Furthermore, sensitivity to female chemosensory cues and copulatory behavior are uncoupled in this knockout model"
Keywords:		"Analysis of Variance Animals Aromatase/*genetics/metabolism Bedding and Linens *Cues Estrous Cycle/physiology Female Immunohistochemistry/methods Male Mice Mice, Knockout *Odorants Preoptic Area/cytology/metabolism Prosencephalon/anatomy & histology/*meta;"
Notes:		"MedlineAste, N Honda, S Harada, N eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2003/05/20 Brain Res Bull. 2003 May 15; 60(3):191-200. doi: 10.1016/s0361-9230(03)00035-2"