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2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Functional Analysis of Oxytocin Receptor with the Receptor Knockout Mice

Research Project

Project/Area Number 14360046
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 応用微生物学・応用生物化学
Research InstitutionTohoku University

Principal Investigator

NISHIMORI Katsuhiko  Tohoku University, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Professor, 大学院・農学研究科, 教授 (10164609)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KIMURA Tadashi  Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assistant Professor, 大学院・医学系研究科, 助手 (90240845)
Project Period (FY) 2002 – 2004
KeywordsOxytocin / Oxytocin Receptor / Parturition / Fp Receptor / Agrressive Behavior / Maternal Behavior / Obesity / Thermo Regulation
Research Abstract

The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) has been considered to be essential for reproductive physiology and sociosexual behaviors. However, OXT-deficient (Oxt-/-) mice displayed defects only in milk ejection and social recognition. To analyze the roles of the OXTR in the reproductive and central nervous systems, we generated mice lacking the Oxtr gene (Oxtr-/-). <Reproductive Function> Oxtr-/-mice exhibited normal rates of mating, pregnancy, and litter sizes, demonstrating that OXTR is not essential for either male or female reproductive function. Although Oxtr-/-females showed no obvious defect in parturition, all offspring of Oxtr-/-females died after birth. Histological analysis of mammary glands in postpartum Oxtr-/-females indicated that ducts accumulated milk. <Sociosexual Behavior> Postpartum Oxtr-/-females displayed the impairment of maternal behavior. Virgin Oxtr-/-females displayed a similar phenotype, suggesting that OXTR is required for nurturing responses to pups outside the physiolo … More gical context of pregnancy and parturition. We observed more wounded mice in group-housed males from cages containing Oxtr-/-mice than in cages containing only Oxtr+/+ mice, we assessed aggressive behavior using the resident-intruder test. Oxtr-/-mice showed elevated aggressive behavior. However, plasma testosterone concentrations were not significantly different between Oxtr+/+ and Oxtr-/-mice. In contrast, in cages containing OXT-knockout (Oxt-/-) males, the rate of wounded mice was similar to that in Oxt+/+ mice. Furthermore, aggressive behavior of Oxt-/-mice in the resident-intruder test was indistinguishable from Oxt+/+ mice. This discrepancy in aggression phenotypes between Oxtr-/-and Oxt-/-mice potentially implicates OXT-independent activation of OXTR in Oxt-/-mice. <Other function of OTR> Male otr-/-mice developed obesity by 15 week old but female did not. Histlogical analysis of adipose tissue in male otr-/-mice showed lipid accumulation in gonadal white adipose tissue (WAT), and most of cells in brown adipose tissue (BAT) were filled with large lipid droplets, suggesting a typical feature in dysfunction of thermogenesis. When otr-/-mice were exposed to cold, their rectal temperature dropped rapidly. Cold-sensitive was mostly accompanied by failure to induce thermogenic mechanism in BAT. In otr-/-mice, the ratio of α2 to β3 adrenergic receptors (ARs) expressing in BAT was altered in comparison with that in wildtype animals. As α 2 and β3 ARs were known to have opposite effects in thermogenesis, the inbalance of these ARs might attenuate energy expenditure accompanied with less thermogenesis, possibly leading to obesity. Less

  • Research Products

    (15 results)

All 2005 2004 2003 2002

All Journal Article (13 results) Book (1 results) Patent(Industrial Property Rights) (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] The differential coupling of oxytocin receptors to uterine contractions in murine estrous cycle2004

    • Author(s)
      Kawamata, M. et al.
    • Journal Title

      Biochem.and Biophys.Res.Commu. 321

      Pages: 695-699

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] The differential coupling of oxytocin receptors to uterine contractions in murine estrous cycle.2004

    • Author(s)
      Kawamata, M., Tonomura, Y., Kimura, T., Yanagisawa, T., Nishimori, K.
    • Journal Title

      Biochem.and Biophys.Res.Commu. 321

      Pages: 695-699

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] The well-known hormone oxytocin and its GPCR receptor OXTR, and the newly found orphan GPCRLGR4 ; In vivo functions of those ligand and receptors, deduced from mice deficient in those genes2004

    • Author(s)
      Nishimori, K., Kato, S., Kawamata, M., Takayanagi, Y.
    • Journal Title

      Rinsho Kagaku 33

      Pages: 154-162

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Molecular regulation of the oxytocin receptor in peripheral organs2003

    • Author(s)
      Kimura, T., et al.
    • Journal Title

      J Mol.Endocrinol. 30

      Pages: 109-115

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Vasopressin-induced contraction in the mouse uterus is mediated only by oxytocin receptor, but not in the human uterus.2003

    • Author(s)
      Kawamata, M. et al.
    • Journal Title

      Eur J.Pharmacol. 472

      Pages: 229-234

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Tumor metastasis-associated human MTA1 gene and its MTA1 protein product : role in epithelial cancer cell invasion, proliferation and nuclear regulation.2003

    • Author(s)
      Nicolson, G.L. et al.
    • Journal Title

      Clin Exp Metastasis 20

      Pages: 19-24

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Molecular regulation of the oxytocin receptor in peripheral organs.J2003

    • Author(s)
      Kimura, T., Saji, F., Nishimori, K., Ogita, K., Nakamura, H.Koyama, M., Murata, Y.
    • Journal Title

      Eur J.Pharmacol. 472

      Pages: 229-234

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Vasopressin-induced contraction in the mouse uterus is mediated only by oxytocin receptor, but not in the human uterus.2003

    • Author(s)
      Kawamata, M., Mitsui-Saito, M., Kimura, T., Takayanagi, Y., Yanagisawa, T., Nisimori, K.
    • Journal Title

      Mol.Endocrinol. 30

      Pages: 109-115

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Tumor metastasis-associated human MTA1 gene and its MTA1 protein product : role in epithelial cancer cell invasion, proliferation and nuclear regulation.2003

    • Author(s)
      Nicolson, G.L., Nawa, A., Toh, Y., Taniguchi, S., Nishimori, K., Moustafa, A.
    • Journal Title

      Clin Exp Metastasis 20

      Pages: 19-24

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Successful pregnancy in a patient having high basal serum levels of sex steroid hormones.2002

    • Author(s)
      Furuhashi, M., et al.
    • Journal Title

      Arch Gynecol Obstet 267

      Pages: 46-48

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] 遺伝子欠損マウスによるオキシトシン・オキシトシン受容体システムの機能解析2002

    • Author(s)
      西森克彦 他
    • Journal Title

      日本農芸化学会誌(ミニレビュー) 76

      Pages: 1086-1089

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Successful pregnancy in a patient having high basal serum levels of sex steroid hormones.2002

    • Author(s)
      Furuhashi, M., Suganuma, N., Nishimori, K.
    • Journal Title

      Arch Gynecol Obstet 267

      Pages: 46-48

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Functional analysis of oxytocin and oxytocin receptor with the gene deficient mice.2002

    • Author(s)
      Nishimori, K., Kawamata, M., Takayanagi, Y.
    • Journal Title

      Nipponn Nougeikagaku Kaishi 76

      Pages: 1086-1089

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Book] 臨床化学 第33巻2004

    • Author(s)
      西森克彦 他(分担執筆)
    • Total Pages
      9
    • Publisher
      日本臨床化学会
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] オキシトシン受容体欠損マウス及びその利用方法2005

    • Inventor(s)
      西森 克彦, 高柳 友紀
    • Industrial Property Rights Holder
      東北大学長 阿部 博之
    • Industrial Property Number
      特願2001-267359
    • Filing Date
      20050425(意見書手続補正書手続補足書・提出中期日)
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より

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Published: 2006-07-11  

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