Structural analysis of molecular and behavioral neuroendocrinology on the sexual difference and hormonal action in the nervous system

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24300128
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Nerve anatomy/Neuropathology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: KAWATA Mitsuhiro 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (60112512)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAMADA Shunji 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 講師 (40454079) ; TANIDA Takashi 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (30589453) ; TOKITA Miwako (馬杉 美和子) 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (10420712)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SAKAMOTO Hirotaka 岡山大学, 自然科学研究科, 准教授 (20363971) ; MATSUDA Kenichi 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 准教授 (40315932) ; TAKANAMI Keiko 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, プロジェクト研究員 (70578830)
• Research Collaborator: OHYA Miku ; LI Meihua
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 性分化 / 性ホルモン分子 / モニターニューロン / イメージング / エピジェネティック / 性行動 / シナプス / 臨界期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The project was to pursue the mechanism of sexual difference at developing as well as adult stages from molecular, cellular, neuronal circuit, and behavioral levels. At the developing stage epigenetic mechanism including histone acetylation was sequentially regulated and androgen receptor activation/inactivation influenced the sexual behavior at phase specific regardless of apparent histological differences of neuronal tissue. Female sexual behavior, lordosis in particular, was controled by specific neuronal connection between midbrain and medulla oblongata by using glutamate neurotransmitter and gastrin releasing peptide which controls female itching behavior was identified as peculiar synaptic structure in the principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve and posterior horn of spinal cord by using 3D analysis. Molecular interaction between estrogen receptor and transcription factor, estrogen related receptor, was visualized by imaging method, suggesting ligand specific regulation.

Free Research Field

総合領域