 |
 Previous Article | Next Article 
Dopamine Activates Masculine Sexual Behavior Independent of the
Estrogen Receptor 
Scott R.
Wersinger and
Emilie F.
Rissman
University of Virginia, Department of Biology, Charlottesville,
Virginia 22903
Estrogen receptor  (ER) is believed to be a critical part of
the regulatory processes involved in normal reproduction and sexual
behavior. However, in this study we show the ER is not required for
display of masculine sexual behavior. Male and female, ER knock-out
(ERKO) and wild-type mice were gonadectomized and implanted with
testosterone. Sexual behavior and social preferences were tested after
injection of the dopamine agonist, apomorphine (APO), or vehicle. All
wild-type mice showed normal masculine behavior, including mounts and
pelvic thrusts in females, and ejaculation in males. In agreement with
past reports, ERKO mice, given vehicle, failed to show mating
behavior. Yet, ERKO males given APO showed masculine copulatory
behavior and chemoinvestigatory behavior directed at females. ERKO
females, treated with APO, mounted and thrusted when tested with
receptive females. HPLC revealed that wild-type and ERKO mice
had equivalent catecholamine content in brain regions associated with
masculine sexual behavior. These data show that the ER is not
essential during development or adulthood for the expression of
masculine sexual behavior in mice. Moreover, dopamine can activate
sexual behavior via a mechanism that either acts on an ER other than
ER or via an estrogen-independent pathway.
Key words:
nongenomic receptors; membrane steroid receptors; sexual
behavior; sex dimorphism; transgenic mouse; ER
Copyright © 2000 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/00/20114248-07$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
J. Laroche, L. Gasbarro, J. P. Herman, and J. D. Blaustein
Reduced Behavioral Response to Gonadal Hormones in Mice Shipped during the Peripubertal/Adolescent Period
Endocrinology,
May 1, 2009;
150(5):
2351 - 2358.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Raskin, K. de Gendt, A. Duittoz, P. Liere, G. Verhoeven, F. Tronche, and S. Mhaouty-Kodja
Conditional Inactivation of Androgen Receptor Gene in the Nervous System: Effects on Male Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Responses
J. Neurosci.,
April 8, 2009;
29(14):
4461 - 4470.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Bodo and E. F. Rissman
The Androgen Receptor Is Selectively Involved in Organization of Sexually Dimorphic Social Behaviors in Mice
Endocrinology,
August 1, 2008;
149(8):
4142 - 4150.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. A. McDevitt, C. Glidewell-Kenney, J. Weiss, P. Chambon, J. L. Jameson, and J. E. Levine
Estrogen Response Element-Independent Estrogen Receptor (ER)-{alpha} Signaling Does Not Rescue Sexual Behavior but Restores Normal Testosterone Secretion in Male ER{alpha} Knockout Mice
Endocrinology,
November 1, 2007;
148(11):
5288 - 5294.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. S. Kauffman, J. H. Park, A. A. McPhie-Lalmansingh, M. L. Gottsch, C. Bodo, J. G. Hohmann, M. N. Pavlova, A. D. Rohde, D. K. Clifton, R. A. Steiner, et al.
The Kisspeptin Receptor GPR54 Is Required for Sexual Differentiation of the Brain and Behavior
J. Neurosci.,
August 15, 2007;
27(33):
8826 - 8835.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. E Fisher, A. Aron, and L. L Brown
Romantic love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice
Phil Trans R Soc B,
December 29, 2006;
361(1476):
2173 - 2186.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. E. Kudwa, C. Bodo, J.-A. Gustafsson, and E. F. Rissman
A previously uncharacterized role for estrogen receptor {beta}: Defeminization of male brain and behavior
PNAS,
March 22, 2005;
102(12):
4608 - 4612.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. J. De Vries, E. F. Rissman, R. B. Simerly, L.-Y. Yang, E. M. Scordalakes, C. J. Auger, A. Swain, R. Lovell-Badge, P. S. Burgoyne, and A. P. Arnold
A Model System for Study of Sex Chromosome Effects on Sexually Dimorphic Neural and Behavioral Traits
J. Neurosci.,
October 15, 2002;
22(20):
9005 - 9014.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. F. Rissman, A. L. Heck, J. E. Leonard, M. A. Shupnik, and J.-A. Gustafsson
Disruption of estrogen receptor beta gene impairs spatial learning in female mice
PNAS,
March 19, 2002;
99(6):
3996 - 4001.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
