The vomeronasal organ (VNO) projection pathway mediates the effects of pheromones on several essential psychosexual and neuroendocrine functions in a variety of vertebrate species. In preliminary studies with rats and mice we have used the immediate-early gene product, Fos, as a nuclear marker of neuronal activation in different segments of the VNO pathway. In both species the ability of odors from sexually active males to augment neuronal Fos in the VNO pathway was found to be sexually dimorphic. New studies are proposed to exploit the mouse as a model system in which to study pheromonal communication and to manipulate genes governing the development of the nervous system. These experiments will establish whether pheromones derived from male and female urine activate different populations of sensory neurons in the VNO epithelium which, in turn, project to different rostral-caudal subdivisions of the accessory olfactory bulb and whether these actions of urinary pheromones on neuronal Fos in the terminal regions (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; medial preoptic area) of VNO pathway in male and female subjects and correlate these results with animals' preference to investigate these respective stimuli. The possible contribution of perinatal aromatization of testosterone to the male- typical organization of VNO-projection pathway function will be assessed by comparing urine-induced neuronal Fos responses and olfactory preferences in wild-type and transgenic mice with a null mutation of the CYP19 gene, which are aromatase deficient. A final study will determine whether the robust neuronal Fos responses to male urinary odors, normally present at all levels of the female's VNO pathway, are attenuated in the most central portion of this pathway in cycling females by the receipt of mating stimulation from the male. Such an effect of mating could explain the 'Bruce effect' in which urine from a strange male, but not from a familiar, recent mating partner, blocks the establishment of pregnancy. The results of these experiments should identify sites in a well-characterized anatomical pathway at which sex hormones and social experience affect the detection and/or processing of olfactory signals.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH059200-02
Application #
6126132
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-2 (01))
Project Start
1998-12-01
Project End
2001-11-30
Budget Start
1999-12-01
Budget End
2000-11-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$141,270
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
042250712
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
Martel, Kristine L; Baum, Michael J (2007) Sexually dimorphic activation of the accessory, but not the main, olfactory bulb in mice by urinary volatiles. Eur J Neurosci 26:463-75
Kang, Ningdong; Janes, Amy; Baum, Michael J et al. (2006) Sex difference in Fos induced by male urine in medial amygdala-projecting accessory olfactory bulb mitral cells of mice. Neurosci Lett 398:59-62
Pankevich, Diana E; Cherry, James A; Baum, Michael J (2006) Effect of vomeronasal organ removal from male mice on their preference for and neural Fos responses to female urinary odors. Behav Neurosci 120:925-36
Alekseyenko, O V; Baum, M J; Cherry, J A (2006) Sex and gonadal steroid modulation of pheromone receptor gene expression in the mouse vomeronasal organ. Neuroscience 140:1349-57
Pankevich, Diana E; Cherry, James A; Baum, Michael J (2006) Accessory olfactory neural Fos responses to a conditioned environment are blocked in male mice by vomeronasal organ removal. Physiol Behav 87:781-8
Pho, Vanee; Butman, Michelle L; Cherry, James A (2005) Type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibition impairs detection of low odor concentrations in mice. Behav Brain Res 161:245-53
Thompson, Barbara E; Sachs, Benjamin D; Kantak, Kathleen M et al. (2004) The Type IV phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram interferes with drug-induced conditioned place preference but not immediate early gene induction in mice. Eur J Neurosci 19:2561-8
Pankevich, Diana E; Baum, Michael J; Cherry, James A (2004) Olfactory sex discrimination persists, whereas the preference for urinary odorants from estrous females disappears in male mice after vomeronasal organ removal. J Neurosci 24:9451-7
Pankevich, D E; Deedy, E M; Cherry, J A et al. (2003) Interactive effects of testosterone and superior cervical ganglionectomy on attraction thresholds to volatile urinary odors in gonadectomized mice. Behav Brain Res 144:157-65
Lau, Y E; Cherry, J A; Baum, M J et al. (2003) Induction of Fos in the accessory olfactory system by male odors persists in female mice with a null mutation of the aromatase (cyp19) gene. Brain Res Bull 60:143-50

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