title: Trichostatin A (TSA) facilitates formation of partner preference in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster).
abstract: In the socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), the development of a social bonding is indicated by the formation of partner preference, which involves a variety of environmental and neurochemical factors and brain structures. In a most recent study in female prairie voles, we found that treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) facilitates the formation of partner preference through up-regulation of oxytocin receptor (OTR) and vasopressin V1a receptor (V1aR) genes expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that TSA treatment also facilitates partner preference formation and alters OTR and V1aR genes expression in the NAcc in male prairie voles. We thus observed that central injection of TSA dose-dependently promoted the formation of partner preference in the absence of mating in male prairie voles. Interestingly, TSA treatment up-regulated OTR, but not V1aR, gene expression in the NAcc similarly as they were affected by mating - an essential process for naturally occurring partner preference. These data, together with others, not only indicate the involvement of epigenetic events but also the potential role of NAcc oxytocin in the regulation of partner preference in both male and female prairie voles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Duclot
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.affiliation: Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States. Electronic address: mohamed.kabbaj@med.fsu.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabbaj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism; D010152:Pair Bond; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; C012589:trichostatin A; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Nucleus accumbens; Oxytocin; Partner preference; Prairie voles; Trichostatin A; Vasopressin