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  • Neonatal testosterone suppresses a neuroendocrine pulse generator required for reproduction.

Neonatal testosterone suppresses a neuroendocrine pulse generator required for reproduction.

Nature communications (2014-02-13)
Jean-Marc Israel, Jean-Marie Cabelguen, Gwendal Le Masson, Stéphane H Oliet, Philippe Ciofi
ABSTRACT

The pituitary gland releases hormones in a pulsatile fashion guaranteeing signalling efficiency. The determinants of pulsatility are poorly circumscribed. Here we show in magnocellular hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal oxytocin (OT) neurons that the bursting activity underlying the neurohormonal pulses necessary for parturition and the milk-ejection reflex is entirely driven by a female-specific central pattern generator (CPG). Surprisingly, this CPG is active in both male and female neonates, but is inactivated in males after the first week of life. CPG activity can be restored in males by orchidectomy or silenced in females by exogenous testosterone. This steroid effect is aromatase and caspase dependent, and is mediated via oestrogen receptor-α. This indicates the apoptosis of the CPG network during hypothalamic sexual differentiation, explaining why OT neurons do not burst in adult males. This supports the view that stereotypic neuroendocrine pulsatility is governed by CPGs, some of which are subjected to gender-specific perinatal programming.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Testosterone propionate, solid
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase Antibody, clone LNC1, ascites fluid, clone LNC1, Chemicon®
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Caspase 3 Antibody, active (cleaved) form, Chemicon®, from rabbit
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Anti-Estrogen Receptor α Antibody, from rabbit, purified by affinity chromatography
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Sesame oil, Antioxidant, delivery vehicle for fat-soluble compounds