Faecal bile acids are natural ligands of the mouse accessory olfactory system.
The accessory olfactory system (AOS) guides behaviours that are important for survival and reproduction, but understanding of AOS function is limited by a lack of identified natural ligands. Here we report that mouse faeces are a robust source of AOS chemosignals and identify bile acids as a class of natural AOS ligands. Single-unit electrophysiological recordings from accessory olfactory bulb neurons in ex vivo preparations show that AOS neurons are strongly and selectively activated by peripheral stimulation with mouse faecal extracts. Faecal extracts contain several unconjugated bile acids that cause concentration-dependent neuronal activity in the AOS. Many AOS neurons respond selectively to bile acids that are variably excreted in male and female mouse faeces, and others respond to bile acids absent in mouse faeces. These results identify faeces as a natural source of AOS information, and suggest that bile acids may be mammalian pheromones and kairomones.
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.|Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas, Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Wayne I
WI
Doyle
Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas, 120 Inner Campus Drive, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Jordan A
JA
Dinser
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.|Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas, Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Hillary L
HL
Cansler
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.|Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas, Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Xingjian
X
Zhang
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Daniel D
DD
Dinh
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Natasha S
NS
Browder
Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas, 120 Inner Campus Drive, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Ian M
IM
Riddington
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
Julian P
0000-0002-7537-4491
JP
Meeks
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine*; D012737:Sex Factors; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D008024:Ligands; D010675:Pheromones