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 Previous Article
The Journal of Neuroscience, April 1, 2001, 21(7):2546-2552
CNS Region-Specific Oxytocin Receptor Expression: Importance in
Regulation of Anxiety and Sex Behavior
Tracy L.
Bale1,
Aline
M.
Davis2,
Anthony P.
Auger2,
Daniel M.
Dorsa1, and
Margaret M.
McCarthy2
1 Neurobiology and Behavior Program, Departments of
Pharmacology and Psychiatry, University of Washington, Seattle,
Washington 98195, and 2 Department of Physiology,
University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
The oxytocin receptor (OTR) is differentially expressed in the CNS.
Because there are multiple mechanisms by which the OTR can be
transcriptionally induced, we hypothesized that differences in OTR
expression may be explained by activation of distinct signal transduction pathways and may be critical for the control of anxiety and sex behaviors. To determine the regulation and functional significance of this expression, we infused female rats with modifiers of protein kinases before assaying for behavior and oxytocin receptor binding. In the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH), estrogen-dependent induction of oxytocin receptors required protein kinase C activation, and oxytocin infused here promoted female sex
behavior but had no effect on anxiety. In contrast, dopamine controlled
tonic oxytocin receptor expression in the central nucleus of the
amygdala (cAmyg) through activation of protein kinase A, and oxytocin
infused here was anxiolytic but had no effect on female sex behavior.
Therefore, we have identified brain region-specific regulation of the
OTR in the VMH and cAmyg. Distinct signal transduction pathways
regulating receptor expression and binding in each brain region may
mediate in part the ability of oxytocin to exert these differential
behavioral effects.
Key words:
oxytocin; heterologous expression; amygdala; hypothalamus; lordosis; anxiety
Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/01/2172546-07$05.00/0
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