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PLoS One

Title:		A population of kisspeptin/neurokinin B neurons in the arcuate nucleus may be the central target of the male effect phenomenon in goats
Author(s):		Sakamoto K; Wakabayashi Y; Yamamura T; Tanaka T; Takeuchi Y; Mori Y; Okamura H;
Address:		"Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan ; Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ibaraki, Japan"
Journal Title:		PLoS One
Year:		2013
Volume:		20131118
Issue:		11
Page Number:		e81017 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pone.0081017
ISSN/ISBN:		1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Exposure of females to a male pheromone accelerates pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in goats. Recent evidence has suggested that neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) containing kisspeptin and neurokinin B (NKB) play a pivotal role in the control of GnRH secretion. Therefore, we hypothesized that these neurons may be the central target of the male pheromone. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether NKB signaling is involved in the pheromone action, and whether ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons receive input from the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA)--the nucleus suggested to relay pheromone signals. Ovariectomized goats were implanted with a recording electrode aimed at a population of ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons, and GnRH pulse generator activity, represented by characteristic increases in multiple-unit activity (MUA) volleys, was measured. Pheromone exposure induced an MUA volley and luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse in control animals, whereas the MUA and LH responses to the pheromone were completely suppressed by the treatment with an NKB receptor antagonist. These results indicate that NKB signaling is a prerequisite for pheromone action. In ovariectomized goats, an anterograde tracer was injected into the MeA, and possible connections between the MeA and ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons were examined. Histochemical observations demonstrated that a subset of ARC kisspeptin/NKB neurons receive efferent projections from the MeA. These results suggest that the male pheromone signal is conveyed via the MeA to ARC kisspeptin neurons, wherein the signal stimulates GnRH pulse generator activity through an NKB signaling-mediated mechanism in goats"
Keywords:		"Amygdala/cytology/drug effects/metabolism Animals Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism Electrodes, Implanted Female Gene Expression Regulation Goats Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/genetics/metabolism Injections, Intraventricul;"
Notes:		"MedlineSakamoto, Kohei Wakabayashi, Yoshihiro Yamamura, Takashi Tanaka, Tomomi Takeuchi, Yukari Mori, Yuji Okamura, Hiroaki eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2013/11/22 PLoS One. 2013 Nov 18; 8(11):e81017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081017. eCollection 2013"