| Title: | Molecular regulation of sexual preference revealed by genetic studies of 5-HT in the brains of male mice |
| Author(s): | Liu Y; Jiang Y; Si Y; Kim JY; Chen ZF; Rao Y; |
| Address: | "National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1476-4687 (Electronic) 0028-0836 (Print) 0028-0836 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Although the question of to whom a male directs his mating attempts is a critical one in social interactions, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling mammalian sexual preference. Here we report that the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is required for male sexual preference. Wild-type male mice preferred females over males, but males lacking central serotonergic neurons lost sexual preference although they were not generally defective in olfaction or in pheromone sensing. A role for 5-HT was demonstrated by the phenotype of mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2), which is required for the first step of 5-HT synthesis in the brain. Thirty-five minutes after the injection of the intermediate 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which circumvented Tph2 to restore 5-HT to the wild-type level, adult Tph2 knockout mice also preferred females over males. These results indicate that 5-HT and serotonergic neurons in the adult brain regulate mammalian sexual preference" |
| Keywords: | "5-Hydroxytryptophan/metabolism/pharmacology Animals Brain/*metabolism/physiology Brain Chemistry Estrous Cycle/physiology Female Heterosexuality/physiology Homosexuality, Male/genetics Housing, Animal Male Mating Preference, Animal/*physiology Mice Mice, ;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLiu, Yan Jiang, Yun'ai Si, Yunxia Kim, Ji-Young Chen, Zhou-Feng Rao, Yi eng R01 AR056318/AR/NIAMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2011/03/29 Nature. 2011 Apr 7; 472(7341):95-9. doi: 10.1038/nature09822. Epub 2011 Mar 23" |
