This collaborative research project uses a combination of chemical, behavioral, and endocrinological methods to identify pheromones that regulate male copulatory behavior, reduce intermale aggression and cause a rapid increase in circulating male hormone levels. A chemical stimulus for copulatory behavior has been isolated from a water-soluble, deodorized, macromolecular fraction of hamster vaginal discharge. It appears to consist of two proteins of molecular weights 17,000 and 35,000 that are detected by the male hamster in the vomeronasal organ. These and other active compounds of the macromolecular fraction will be chemically characterized. This work is part of a long term program to investigate the possibilities that pheromones in mammals may be distinguished from other intraspecific chemical signals, such as odors or perfumes, by their interaction with specialized receptors and that, as part of a specialized communication system, pheromones will vary chemically in only limited ways between different mammalian species. In several species such as the hamster, pheromones, acting in minute amounts, are known to have rapid and specific effects on hormone levels. It is not known whether such effects occur in humans, but the possibility needs to be investigated. The implications of such research, for example in therapy of disease conditions involving hormonal imbalance, are enormous.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HD019764-01A1
Application #
3317276
Study Section
Reproductive Biology Study Section (REB)
Project Start
1985-12-01
Project End
1988-11-30
Budget Start
1985-12-01
Budget End
1986-11-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Rockefeller University
Department
Type
Graduate Schools
DUNS #
071037113
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10065
Jang, T; Singer, A G; O'Connell, R J (2001) Induction of c-fos in hamster accessory olfactory bulbs by natural and cloned aphrodisin. Neuroreport 12:449-52
Kroner, C; Breer, H; Singer, A G et al. (1996) Pheromone-induced second messenger signaling in the hamster vomeronasal organ. Neuroreport 7:2989-92
Singer, A G (1991) A chemistry of mammalian pheromones. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 39:627-32
Singer, A G; Clancy, A N; Macrides, F et al. (1988) Chemical properties of a female mouse pheromone that stimulates gonadotropin secretion in males. Biol Reprod 38:193-9
Henzel, W J; Rodriguez, H; Singer, A G et al. (1988) The primary structure of aphrodisin. J Biol Chem 263:16682-7
Clancy, A N; Singer, A G; Macrides, F et al. (1988) Experiential and endocrine dependence of gonadotropin responses in male mice to conspecific urine. Biol Reprod 38:183-91
Singer, A G; Agosta, W C; Clancy, A N et al. (1987) The chemistry of vomeronasally detected pheromones: characterization of an aphrodisiac protein. Ann N Y Acad Sci 519:287-98
Singer, A G; Macrides, F; Clancy, A N et al. (1986) Purification and analysis of a proteinaceous aphrodisiac pheromone from hamster vaginal discharge. J Biol Chem 261:13323-6