Vomeronasal Receptors Associated with Circulating Estrogen Processing Chemosensory Cues in Semi-Aquatic Mammals

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2023 Jul 14

PMID 37445898

Authors

Wenqian Xie

Meiqi Chen

Yuyao Shen

Yuning Liu

Haolin Zhang

Qiang Weng

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In numerous animals, one essential chemosensory organ that detects chemical signals is the vomeronasal organ (VNO), which is involved in species-specific behaviors, including social and sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism underlying the processing of chemosensory cues in semi-aquatic mammals using muskrats as the animal model. Muskrat () has a sensitive VNO system that activates seasonal breeding behaviors through receiving specific substances, including pheromones and hormones. Vomeronasal organ receptor type 1 (V1R) and type 2 (V2R) and estrogen receptor α and β (ERα and ERβ) were found in sensory epithelial cells, non-sensory epithelial cells and lamina propria cells of the female muskrats' VNO. V2R and ERα mRNA levels in the VNO during the breeding period declined sharply, in comparison to those during the non-breeding period, while V1R and ERβ mRNA levels were detected reversely. Additionally, transcriptomic study in the VNO identified that differently expressed genes might be related to estrogen signal and metabolic pathways. These findings suggested that the seasonal structural and functional changes in the VNO of female muskrats with different reproductive status and estrogen was regulated through binding to ERα and ERβ in the female muskrats' VNO.

Citing Articles

First Immunohistochemical Demonstration of the Expression of a Type-2 Vomeronasal Receptor, V2R2, in Wild Canids.

Ortiz-Leal I, Torres M, Lopez-Beceiro A, Fidalgo L, Shin T, Sanchez-Quinteiro P Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(13).

PMID: 39000398 PMC: 11241633. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137291.

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