title: The protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin reduces sex behavior during a critical period after testosterone treatment in male Syrian hamsters.
abstract: Testosterone (T) is critical for maintaining male sexual behavior (MSB) in rodents, in part by altering protein synthesis in a well-defined neural circuit. The specific timing of protein synthesis essential for expression of MSB has never been investigated. We administered the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin (Ani) to castrated male Syrian hamsters treated sc with 100 μg T in an aqueous vehicle once weekly; this T regimen maintains MSB while elevating circulating T concentrations for only a few hours after each injection. Hamsters were injected s.c. with the vehicle or 12.5 mg Ani at one of several times relative to T administration; MSB was assessed once per week, 6 days after the previous T injection, for 5 weeks. Anisomycin administered 6-12 h after T injection significantly reduced the expression of sexual behavior, whereas Ani treatment between 3 h before and 3 h after T injection did not impair MSB. This experiment is the first to assess the specific timing of protein synthesis relative to a T pulse that is required for the expression of MSB. The demarcation of a critical interval for T-induced protein synthesis necessary for maintenance of MSB should facilitate specification of the genomic, proteomic, and biochemical cascades that subserve actions of T on male copulation.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. piekarski@berkeley.edu
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Piekarski
authors: Tiffany
authors: T
authors: Seto
authors: Irving
authors: I
authors: Zucker
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000841:Anisomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D013739:Testosterone; D000841:Anisomycin