雄性动物性取向的神经生物学机制研究

Interactions between members of the opposite sex are essential for sexually reproducing animals and provide fascinating subjects for biological studies. In 2011, we found that central serotonergic neurotransmission is required for sexual preference of male mice. Male mice lacking central serotonin lost sexual preference without olfactory deficits (Nature). These findings revealed the first neurotransmitter in the adult brain that is crucial for regulating sexual preference in mammals. Recently, our pharmacological studies have uncovered functional links between serotonergic signaling and neuropeptides vasopressin in sexual preference. The applicant would carry out further experiments to investigate: 1) the connection between serotonergic neurons to vasopressin neurons. 2) How vasopressin neurons participate in sexual preference. Our novel findings that neuropeptide vasopressin involved in sexual preference provide basis for new breakthrough.

两性交配是物种繁衍的基础，而选择正确的交配对象是交配成功的关键。一直以来，人们对哺乳动物性取向的分子机制知之甚少。申请人发现脑内五羟色胺缺乏的雄鼠失去了性取向，它们对雌鼠和雄鼠都表现出交配行为（Nature, 2011）。该研究首次将神经递质五羟色胺与动物的性取向联系在一起，揭示调控性取向的第一个神经递质。但是五羟色胺是如何调控雄鼠性取向的机制依然不清楚。本项目的先期工作发现神经肽加压素参与了五羟色胺对雄鼠性取向的调节。不仅首次发现神经肽加压素参与调控哺乳动物的性取向，而且为揭示五羟色胺如何调控动物性取向提供了重要线索。本项目拟通过光遗传学、转基因动物、神经药理学等研究方法揭示：1）哪些五羟色胺神经元参与调控性取向；2）哪些五羟色胺受体可以调节加压素能神经元；3）五羟色胺调节哪个脑区的加压素神经元；4）加压素如何调控性取向。本研究将使我们更进一步了解雄性哺乳动物性取向的神经分子机制。