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Targeted Reduction of Oxytocin Expression Provides Insights into its Physiological Roles

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Vasopressin and Oxytocin

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 449))

Abstract

Oxytocin is a nonapeptide hormone that participates in the regulation of parturition and lactation. It has also been implicated in various behaviors, such as mating and maternal, and memory. To investigate whether or not oxytocin (OT) is essential for any of thesefunctions, we eliminated, by homologous recombination, most of the first intron and the last two exons of the OT gene in mice. Those exons encode the neurophysin portion of the oxytocin preprohormone which is hypothesized to help in the packaging and transport of OT. The homozygous mutant mice have no detectable neurophysin or processed oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus, supraoptic nucleus or posterior pituitary. Interestingly, homozygous mutant males and females are fertile and the homozygous mutant females are able to deliver their litters. However, the pups do not successfully suckle and die within 24 hours without milk in their stomachs. OT injection into the dams or rescue with the rat OT gene restores the milk ejection in response to suckling. OT is also needed for post-partum alveolar proliferation. These results indicate an absolute requirement for oxytocin for successful milk ejection, but not for mating, parturition and milk production, in mice. Furthermore, homozygous mutant mice show reduced aggression in some tests.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    W. Scott Young III & Emily Shepard

  2. Laboratory of Behavioral Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    A. Courtney DeVries

  3. Section on Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Andreas Zimmer

  4. Clinical Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Mary E. LaMarca & Edward I. Ginns

  5. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Janet Amico

  6. Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Randy J. Nelson

  7. Laboratory of Biochemistry and Metabolism, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Lothar Hennighausen & Kay-Uwe Wagner

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  1. W. Scott Young III
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  2. Emily Shepard
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  4. Andreas Zimmer
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  7. Janet Amico
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  8. Randy J. Nelson
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  9. Lothar Hennighausen
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  10. Kay-Uwe Wagner
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Correspondence to W. Scott Young III .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Hans H. Zingg  & Charles W. Bourque  & 

  2. University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Daniel G. Bichet

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Young, W.S. et al. (1998). Targeted Reduction of Oxytocin Expression Provides Insights into its Physiological Roles. In: Zingg, H.H., Bourque, C.W., Bichet, D.G. (eds) Vasopressin and Oxytocin. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 449. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4871-3_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4871-3_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7210-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4871-3

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