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

我们发现了一种雄性小鼠特有的肽，名为外分泌腺分泌肽1(ESP1)，它从眶外泪腺释放到泪液中。结果发现，ESP1是一种性信息素，它在雄性交配时增强雌性的性接受行为，导致小鼠成功交配。此外，我们还揭示了犁鼻系统中ESP1信号解码的分子机制和神经通路。在犁鼻系统中，esp1信号的处理似乎是通过特定的犁鼻受体的选择性神经通路介导的。该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.