PAC1 receptors mediate pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide- and progesterone-facilitated receptivity in female rats.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) acts as a feed-forward, paracrine/autocrine factor in the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) for receptivity and sensitizes pituitary hormone release for ovulation. The present study examined receptor(s) and signaling pathway by which PACAP enhances rodent lordosis. PACAP binds to PACAP (PAC1)- and vasoactive intestinal peptide-preferring receptors (VPAC1, VPAC2). Ovariectomized rodents primed with estradiol (EB) were given PACAP or vasoactive intestinal peptide directly onto VMN cells. Only PACAP facilitated receptivity. Pretreatment with VPAC1 and VPAC2 inhibitors blocked both PACAP- and progesterone (P)-induced receptivity. Antisense (AS) oligonucleotides to PAC1 (not VPAC1 or VPAC2) inhibited the behavioral effect of PACAP and P. By real-time RT-PCR, EB, P and EB+P enhanced VMN mRNA expression of PAC1. Within the total PAC1 population, EB and EB+P induced expression of short form PAC1 and PAC1hop2 splice variants. Finally, blocking cAMP/protein kinase A signaling cascade by antagonists to cAMP activity and protein kinase A or by antisense to dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of 32 kDa blocked the PACAP effect on behavior. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that progesterone receptor-dependent receptivity is, in part, dependent on PAC1 receptors for intracellular VMN signaling and delineate a novel, steroid-dependent mechanism for a feed-forward reinforcement of steroid receptor-dependent reproductive receptivity.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. edea@bcm.tmc.edu
Ede Marie
EM
Apostolakis
Deanna N
DN
Riherd
Bert W
BW
O'Malley
D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D054746:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type II; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol; D005260:Female; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011187:Posture; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051237:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide, Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051239:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051238:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D016373:DNA, Antisense; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051237:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide, Type I; D051239:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II; D051238:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I; D013256:Steroids; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D054746:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type II; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases