Estradiol Treatment during Perinatal Development Alters Adult PartnerPreference Mating Behavior and Estrogen Receptors α and β in the Female Mandarin Vole(Microtus mandarinus)

摘要

During development, many aspects of behavior, including partner preferences and sexualconduct, are “organized” by estradiol. This study aimed at analyze these processes in themandarin vole ( ), a novel experimental mammal withstrong monogamous pair bonds. Female pups were treated daily with an oil vehicle (FC) orβ-Estradiol (E , FT) from prenatal day 14 to postnatal day 10. Male pups weretreated daily with the oil vehicle only (MC). Partner preferences, sexual conduct and theexpression of estrogen receptors α (ERα) and β (ERβ) were examined when animals were 3months old. FT and MC groups showed female-directed partner preferences and masculinizedbehavior. ERα-immunoreactive neurons (ERα-IRs) in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis(BNST) and medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) was greater in FT females than MC males, andthere was no significant difference in the number of ERα-IRs between FT and FC females. Nodifference was found for ERα-IRs in the preoptic area (mPOA) or ventromedial nucleus ofthe hypothalamus (VMH) of FT females or MC males, and they were significantly fewer thanin FC females. ERβ-immunoreactive neurons (ERβ-IRs) in these four brain regions did notalter the ERβ/ERα ratio in different brain regions during perintal developments. However,the number of ERβ-IRs in FT females and MC males were greater than in FC females. Wepropose that estradiol treatment during perinatal development is responsible for adultpartner preferences and mating behavior.