title: Chemical identification of MHC-influenced volatile compounds in mouse urine. I: Quantitative Proportions of Major Chemosignals.
abstract: The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are highly polymorphic loci that encode cell surface proteins, class I and II molecules. They present peptide antigens to T cells and thereby control immunological self/nonself recognition. Increasing evidence indicates that MHC genes also influence odor and mating preferences; however, it is unclear how. Here we report the results of chemical analyses of male mouse urinary odors collected from a variety of mouse strains, including MHC-congenics, recombinants, mutants, and transgenics (i.e., beta2 microglobulin "knockouts," which lack class I expression, and transporters associated with antigen processing (TAP) knock-outs). After the identification of volatile odor components by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, the odor profiles of urine samples were analyzed quantitatively by using stir bar sorptive extraction and gas chromatography/atomic emission detection. Results showed that MHC genes influenced the amounts of testosterone-mediated pheromones, sulfur-containing compounds, and several carbonyl metabolites. This is the first report to quantitatively link known mouse pheromones to classical, antigen-binding MHC loci. Surprisingly, these compounds were not influenced by TAP genes, even though these loci are MHC-linked and play a role in peptide presentation. Whereas identification of MHC-determined odorants does not reveal their metabolic origin, some constituents were also present in blood serum, and their levels were not altered by antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pheromone Research, Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. novotny@indiana.edu
authors.forename: Milos V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.forename: Helena A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Soini
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wiesler
authors.forename: Kevin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Dustin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Penn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001769:Blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D010675:Pheromones / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D016482:Urinalysis; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010675:Pheromones