Sexually dimorphic oxytocin receptor-expressing (OXTR) neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) in the postpartum female mouse are involved in maternal behavior.
Sexually dimorphic oxytocin receptor-expressing (OXTR) neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) in the postpartum female mouse are involved in maternal behavior.
复制标题
产后雌性小鼠前腹侧室周核（AVPV）中表达性二态性催产素受体（OXTR）神经元参与母性行为。
DOI：
10.1111/jne.13337
复制
发表时间：
2023
影响因子：
3.2
通讯作者：
Teruyama,Ryoichi
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Sharma,Kaustubh;Govar,ArmitaA;Ghimire,Bandana;Nishimori,Katsuhiko;Hammock,Elizabeth;Teruyama,Ryoichi
产妇护理对后代的生存和发展至关重要。催产素通过与大脑不同部位的催产素受体(OXTRs)结合来调节母亲的行为。在此之前，我们发现OXTRs在雌性小鼠的前腹侧脑室周围核(AVPV)中表达，而雄性小鼠则不表达。由于AVPV参与了母体行为的调节，催产素增强了其诱导作用，这一发现导致了AVPV中女性特有的OXTR神经元群调节母体行为的假说。为了解决这一假说，使用OXTR-Venus报告小鼠来评估在产后期间AVPV中OXTR的表达水平是否发生了变化。与处女相比，产后母鼠的OXTR-Venus神经元总数明显更多。将表达病毒载体的CRE依赖的荧光蛋白(TdTomato)注射到雌性OXTRCRE小鼠一侧AVPV内，以评估AVPV-OXTR神经元的传出投射。在含有催产素神经元的下丘脑区域(视上核和室旁核)以及中脑区域(腹侧被盖区和中脑导水管周围灰质)发现了表达td番茄的纤维，这些区域参与了母体动机的调节。为了评估AVPV-OXTR神经元的活动是否参与了母体行为的调节，我们采用了化学遗传学的方法。对AVPV-OXTR神经元活动的特异性抑制完全消除了幼崽的取回和筑巢行为。总而言之，这些发现表明，产后雌性小鼠的AVPV-OXTR神经元构成了调节母体行为的神经回路中的一个重要节点。
Maternal care is crucial for the survival and development of offspring. Oxytocin modulates maternal behavior by binding to oxytocin receptors (OXTRs) in various parts of the brain. Previously, we showed that OXTRs are expressed in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of female, but not male mice. Because the AVPV is involved in the regulation of maternal behavior and oxytocin enhances its induction, this finding leads to the hypothesis that the female specific population of OXTR neurons in the AVPV regulates maternal behavior. To address this hypothesis, OXTR‐Venus reporter mice were used to assess if expression levels of OXTR in the AVPV are changed during the postpartum period. The total number of OXTR‐Venus neurons was significantly greater in postpartum dams compared to virgin females. To assess efferent projections of the AVPV‐OXTR neurons, a Cre‐dependent fluorescent protein (tdTomato) expressing a viral vector was injected into one side of the AVPV of female OXTR‐Cre mice. Fibers expressing tdTomato were found in hypothalamic areas containing oxytocin neurons (the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei) and the midbrain areas (the ventral tegmental area and periaqueductal gray) that are involved in the regulation of maternal motivation. To assess if activity of the AVPV‐OXTR neurons is involved in the regulation of maternal behaviors, a chemogenetic approach was employed. Specific inhibition of activity of AVPV‐OXTR neurons completely abolished pup retrieval and nest building behaviors. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that AVPV‐OXTR neurons in postpartum female mice constitute an important node in the neural circuitry that regulates maternal behavior.