Understanding the mechanisms that generate sex differences in the teleost brain

• Project/Area Number: 22688015
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General fisheries
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: OKUBO Kataaki 東京大学, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 准教授 (10370131)
• Project Period (FY): 2010 – 2012
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2012)
• Budget Amount: ¥19,760,000 (Direct Cost: ¥15,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,560,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥5,980,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,380,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥5,980,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,380,000); Fiscal Year 2010: ¥7,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,800,000)
• Keywords: 魚類 / 脳 / メダカ / 性差

Research Abstract

Teleost fish exhibit sex differences in a variety of behavioral and endocrine patterns. However, virtually nothing is known about what brain mechanisms underlie these sex differences. The present study has revealed that a steroidogenic enzyme and sex steroid receptors are female-specifically or female-preferentially expressed in several regions of the medaka brain, resulting from the action of estrogen derived from the ovary. These systems within the brain may be relevant to sex differences in some behavioral and/or physiological traits.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] a novel member of the heme-binding protein gene family, is expressed in the medaka meninges with higher abundance in females due to a direct stimulating action of ovarian estrogens (2013)
  • Author(s): Nakasone K, Nagahama Y, Okubo K
  • Journal Title: Endocrinology Volume: 154 Issue: 2 Pages: 920-930
  • DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-2000
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Female-specific target sites for both oestrogen and androgen in theteleost brain. (2012)
  • Author(s): Hiraki T, Takeuchi A, Tsumaki T, Zempo B, KandaS, Oka Y, Nagahama Y, Okubo K.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences Volume: 279 Issue: 1749 Pages: 5014-5023
  • DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2011
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Sex differences in the expression of vasotocin/isotocin, gonadotropin-releasinghormone, and tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylase family genesin the medaka brain. (2012)
  • Author(s): Kawabata Y
  • Journal Title: Neuroscience Volume: 218 Pages: 65-77
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.05.021
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Sex differences in aromatase gene expression in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Okubo, K., Takeuchi, A., Chaube, R., Paul-Prasanth, B., Kanda, S., Oka, Y., and Nagahama, Y.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neuroendocrinology Volume: 23 Issue: 5 Pages: 412-423
  • DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02120.x
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Sex differences in aromatase gene expression in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Okubo K, Takeuchi A, Chaube R, Paul-Prasanth B, Kanda S, Oka Y, Nagahama Y
  • Journal Title: J Neuroendocrinol Volume: 23 Pages: 412-423
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 魚類の脳の性成熟機構に関する研究 (2013)
  • Author(s): 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成25年度日本水産学会春季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学品川キャンパス
  • Year and Date: 2013-03-29
• [Presentation] メダカの脳髄膜においてメスで高い発現を示す遺伝子の同定 (2012)
  • Author(s): 仲宗根潔,大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会春期大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京都港区(東京海洋大学品川キャンパス)
  • Year and Date: 2012-03-27
• [Presentation] メダカの脳における神経伝達物質・神経修飾物質関連遺伝子の性差 (2012)
  • Author(s): 川幡由希香,大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会春期大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学品川キャンパス
  • Year and Date: 2012-03-27
• [Presentation] メダカの脳髄膜においてメスで高い発現を示す遺伝子の同定 (2012)
  • Author(s): 仲宗根潔, 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会春期大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学(東京都)
  • Year and Date: 2012-03-27
• [Presentation] メダカの脳における神経伝達物質・神経修飾物質関連遺伝子の性差 (2012)
  • Author(s): 川幡由希香, 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会春期大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学(東京都)
  • Year and Date: 2012-03-27
• [Presentation] Identification of a gene that is predominantly expressed in the femalemedaka meninges. (2011)
  • Author(s): Nakasone K, Okubo K
  • Organizer: 1st Strategic Meeting for Medaka Research
  • Place of Presentation: Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2011-11-23
• [Presentation] Sex differences in the expression of neuromodulator/neurotransmitter-related genes in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Kawabata Y, Okubo K
  • Organizer: 1st Strategic Meeting for Medaka Research
  • Place of Presentation: Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2011-11-23
• [Presentation] Identification of a gene that is predominantly expressed in the female medaka menings (2011)
  • Author(s): Kiyoshi Nakasone, Kataaki Okubo
  • Organizer: 1st strategic Meeting for Medaka Research
  • Place of Presentation: 岡崎カンファレンスセンター(愛知県)
  • Year and Date: 2011-11-23
• [Presentation] Sex differences in the expression of neuromodulator/neurotransmitter-related genes in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Yokika Kawabata, Kataaki Okubo
  • Organizer: 1st Strategic Meeting for Medaka Research
  • Place of Presentation: 岡崎カンファレンスセンター(愛知県)
  • Year and Date: 2011-11-23
• [Presentation] Sex differences in estrogen and androgen signaling in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Okubo K
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] Sexually dimorphic expression of aroma- tase in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Takeuchi A, Okubo K
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] Sex-dependent expression of estrogen and androgen receptor genes in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Hiraki T, Okubo K
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] Sex differences in estrogen and androgen signaling in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Kataaki Okubo
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Fish Reproductive, Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India(招待講演)
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] Sexually dimorphic expression of aromatase in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Akio Takeuchi, Kataaki Okubo
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Fish Reproductive Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] Sex-dependent expression of estrogen and androgen receptor genes in the medaka brain (2011)
  • Author(s): Towako Hiraki, Kataaki Okubo
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposiun on Fish Reproductive Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: Kochi, India
  • Year and Date: 2011-08-10
• [Presentation] メダカの脳の性が決まる仕組み (2011)
  • Author(s): 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 琉球大学熱帯生物圏研究センター共同利用研究会「動物の性決定機構」
  • Place of Presentation: 沖縄県本部町
  • Year and Date: 2011-02-24
• [Presentation] メダカの脳の性が決まる仕組み (2011)
  • Author(s): 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 琉球大学熱帯生物圏研究センター共同利用研究会「動物の性決定機構」
  • Place of Presentation: 本部町産業支援センター(沖縄県)
  • Year and Date: 2011-02-24
• [Presentation] 魚類の脳の性成熟機構に関する研究
  • Author(s): 大久保範聡
  • Organizer: 平成25年度日本水産学会春期大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学品川キャンパス（東京都）
  • Invited
• [Remarks] 「生殖行動における、メスの脳とオスの脳の違いをメダカで発見」にて成果発表を行った
  • URL: http://www.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/topics/2012/20121017-1.html
• [Remarks] 「メスの脳だけに存在する性ホルモン受容部位」にて成果発表を行った
  • URL: http://www.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/pr-yayoi/56.pdf
• [Remarks] 生殖行動における、メスの脳とオスの脳の違いをメダカで発見
  • URL: http://www.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/topics/2012/20121017-1.html
• [Remarks] メスの脳だけに存在する性ホルモン受容部位
  • URL: http://www.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/pr-yayoi/56.pdf