Stimulation of estrus in female mice by male urinary proteins

Stimulation of estrus in adult female mice was obtained with major urinary proteins (MUPs) with the natural volatile ligands bound. The MUP threshold concentration for this effect was about 1.8 mg/ml. MUPs without the ligands bound, as purified by organic extraction of hydrophobic compounds, stimula...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical ecology 2000-10, Vol.26 (10), p.2355-2366
Main Authors: MARCHLEWSKA-KOJ, Anna, CAVAGGIONI, Andrea, MUCIGNAT-CARETTA, Carla, OLEJNICZAK, Paweł
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
major urinary proteins
Mammalia
Rodents
Vertebrata
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Summary:Stimulation of estrus in adult female mice was obtained with major urinary proteins (MUPs) with the natural volatile ligands bound. The MUP threshold concentration for this effect was about 1.8 mg/ml. MUPs without the ligands bound, as purified by organic extraction of hydrophobic compounds, stimulated estrus in mice only when dissolved in carrier urine of juvenile or castrated adult male mouse or ovariectomized female mouse. They did not stimulate estrus when dissolved in water. Mice that had the vomeronasal organ removed were insensitive to MUPs. It is concluded that MUPs are an integral part of the mouse male pheromones that stimulate hormonal activity in females and that the vomeronasal system is involved in the estrus-stimulating effect of the major urinary proteins.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0098-0331
1573-1561
DOI:10.1023/A:1005578911652