Molecular mechanisms for recognition and signal transduction of sex-specific peptides in the mouse vomeronasal organ

我们发现了一种名为外分泌腺分泌肽1(ESP1)的小鼠男性特异性多肽，它从眼眶外泪腺释放到泪液中。结果表明，ESP1是一种性信息素，能增强雄鼠登上雄鼠后的性接受行为，从而使小鼠交配成功。此外，我们还揭示了破译犁鼻系统中ESP1信号的分子机制和神经通路。犁鼻系统中的ESP1信号处理似乎是由选择性神经通路通过特定的犁鼻受体介导的。这项研究首次提供了性肽信息素与行为输出之间的功能联系，这种联系是通过犁鼻系统中特定受体激活的选择性神经通路来实现的。

We discovered a mouse male-specific peptide, named exocrine gland-secreting peptide 1(ESP1), that was released into tear fluids from the extraorbital lacrimal gland. ESP1 turned out to be a sex pheromone that enhanced female sexual receptive behavior upon male mounting, leading to the successful copulation in mice. Moreover, we revealed the molecular mechanisms and the neural pathway involved in decoding the ESP1 signal in the vomeronasal system. The ESP1-signal processing in the vomeronasal system appears to be mediated by the selective neural pathway via the specific vomeronasal receptor. This study provided the first functional link between a sex peptide pheromone and a behavioral output via a selective neural pathway activated by a specific receptor in the vomeronasal system.