Title: | "Extracts from salivary glands stimulate aggression and inositol-1, 4, 5-triphosphate (IP3) production in the vomeronasal organ of mice" |
Author(s): | Taha M; McMillon R; Napier A; Wekesa KS; |
Address: | "Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama 36101-0271, USA" |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.05.006 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1873-507X (Electronic) 0031-9384 (Print) 0031-9384 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Mammals use chemical cues to coordinate social and reproductive behaviors. Chemical cues are detected by the VNO organ (VNO), which is a cartilage-encased elongated organ associated with the vomer bone in the rostral nasal cavity. The resident intruder paradigm was utilized to examine the ability of saliva and its feeder exocrine glands, the submaxillary, parotid, and sublingual glands to mediate aggression in mice. Saliva and extracts from submaxillary and parotid glands, but not extracts from sublingual glands of male CD-1 mice, induced a greater number of attacks and lower latencies to sniff and attack (p<0.05) and significantly increased IP(3) production (p<0.05) versus vehicle (PBS) in CD-1 male mice VNO. We further show that CD-1 male mouse saliva and submaxillary gland extract induced significantly more attacks and a lower latency to attack in lactating female CD-1 mice and produced significantly more inositol triphosphate (IP(3)), indicative of phospholipase C(beta) signaling which mediates pheromonal activity, in CD-1 female VNO compared to PBS. Castrated CD-1 male mouse saliva, and exocrine gland extracts induced significantly less IP(3) production in male VNO and less aggression by CD-1 males and lactating females compared to responses to normal CD-1 male mouse saliva and gland extracts. Thus, chemical cues present in saliva, submaxillary and parotid glands of CD-1 male mice are capable of stimulating aggression in male and female congenic mice which are correlated with significant production of IP(3) in the VNO. Additionally, these stimulations of aggression and IP(3) production are shown to be androgen-dependent" |
Keywords: | "Aggression/*drug effects Animals Female Inositol 1, 4, 5-Trisphosphate/*biosynthesis Lactation/psychology Male Maternal Behavior/drug effects Membranes/drug effects Mice Ovariectomy Parotid Gland/physiology Saliva/chemistry/metabolism Salivary Glands/*physi;" |
Notes: | "MedlineTaha, Murtada McMillon, Ronald Napier, Audrey Wekesa, Kennedy S eng S06 GM008219/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ P20 MD000547/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/ GM08219/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ S06 GM008219-230011/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ P20 MD000547-050005/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural 2009/05/23 Physiol Behav. 2009 Aug 4; 98(1-2):147-55. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.05.006. Epub 2009 May 18" |