Biol Reprod Keystone Symposia Conference on Frontiers in Reproductive Biology & Regulation of Fertility.
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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 15, 179-186, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Androgen Control of the Sexual Maturation Pheromone in House Mouse Urine

JOSEPH R. LOMBARDI 1, JOHN G. VANDENBERGH 1, , and J. MAL WHITSETT 1

1 Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina 27607


Changes in the capacity of male or female mouse urine to accelerate sexual maturation in female mice was measured following castration and replacement with testosterone propionate (TP). In the male, pheromonal activity declined significantly within two days after castration and disappeared between 10 and 15 days. After a single, 1.0 mg dose of TP, activity reappeared within 24 h and reached maximum levels by 60 h. In these experiments pheromonal activity was significantly correlated with urinary protein levels. Pheromonal activity, androgen-dependent organs and plasma testosterone increased with increasing doses of TP. Total urinary proteins were not significantly correlated with this activity. The activity of urine from TP-treated females equalled that from gonadally intact males. Pheromonally active urine did not consistently accelerate body growth of juvenile females.

The results indicate that the induction and diminution of pheromonal activity is relatively rapid, that this activity is dependent on the androgen state of the male and that with androgen stimulation females are capable of pheromone production. Total urinary protein levels are correlated with pheromonal activity; however, pheromonal activity is not a function of the total protein concentration of the urine. The androgen control of this system may have significant implications toward its function in rodent populations.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank Ms. Carol Bradley and Ms. Linda Lack for technical assistance and Ms. Jan Bayles for typing the manuscript. This research was supported in part by NIMH grant MH-16870 to JGV.

Submitted on January 26, 1976
Accepted on April 19, 1976




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Copyright © 1976 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.