title: Sexually dimorphic gastrin releasing peptide system in the spinal cord controls male reproductive functions.
abstract: Neurons in the upper lumbar spinal cord project axons containing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) to innervate lower lumbar regions controlling erection and ejaculation. This system is vestigial in female rats and in males with genetic dysfunction of androgen receptors, but in male rats, pharmacological stimulation of spinal GRP receptors restores penile reflexes and ejaculation after castration. GRP offers new avenues for understanding potential therapeutic approaches to masculine reproductive dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. hsakamo@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Damian G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Zuloaga
authors.forename: Hisayuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hongu
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: S Marc
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Breedlove
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawata
mesh_terms: D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001839:Bombesin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002369:Castration / Q000379:methods; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; C052635:cholera toxin, B subunit-horseradish peroxidase; C071363:bombesin (6-14), Tpi(6)-Leu(13)-psi(CH2NH)-Leu(14)-; D013739:Testosterone; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D001839:Bombesin