Hemoglobin in the blood acts as a chemosensory signal via the mouse vomeronasal system.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 35115521.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-28118-w and PMC identifier 8814178.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The vomeronasal system plays an essential role in sensing various environmental chemical cues. Here we show that mice exposed to blood and, consequently, hemoglobin results in the activation of vomeronasal sensory neurons expressing a specific vomeronasal G protein-coupled receptor, Vmn2r88, which is mediated by the interaction site, Gly17, on hemoglobin. The hemoglobin signal reaches the medial amygdala (MeA) in both male and female mice. However, it activates the dorsal part of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHd) only in lactating female mice. As a result, in lactating mothers, hemoglobin enhances digging and rearing behavior. Manipulation of steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons in the VMHd is sufficient to induce the hemoglobin-mediated behaviors. Our results suggest that the oxygen-carrier hemoglobin plays a role as a chemosensory signal, eliciting behavioral responses in mice in a state-dependent fashion.
Medical subject headings
- Amygdala
- Biomarkers
- Hemoglobins
- Sensory Receptor Cells
- Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus
- Vomeronasal Organ