Leptin facilitates lordosis behavior through GnRH-1 and progestin receptors in estrogen-primed rats.

Dose response curves for leptin facilitation of estrous behavior (lordosis and proceptivity) were made by infusing the peptide into the lateral ventricle (icv) of ovariectomized (ovx), ad libitum-fed rats injected 40h previously with 5µg of estradiol benzoate. Leptin doses of 1 and 3µg produced significant lordosis quotient at 60min post-injection, with maximal lordosis being displayed at 120min. Yet the intensity of lordosis was weak, and a high incidence of rejection behaviors was found. Moreover, leptin did not induce significant proceptive behaviors at any dose. The leptin doses of 1 and 3µg were selected for determining whether antide, a GnRH-1 receptor antagonist, or the progestin receptor antagonist RU486 could modify the lordosis response to leptin. Icv injection of either antide or RU486 1h before leptin significantly depressed leptin facilitation of lordosis. The results suggest that leptin stimulates lordosis by releasing GnRH, which in turn activates GnRH-1 and progestin receptors. The physiological role of leptin in the control of estrous behavior remains to be determined.

A role for Src kinase in progestin facilitation of estrous behavior in estradiol-primed female rats.

This study tested the hypothesis that the Src/Raf/MAPK signaling pathway is involved in the facilitation of the lordosis and proceptive behaviors induced by progesterone (P) and its ring A-reduced metabolites in ovariectomized, estradiol-primed rats. Intraventricular (icv) infusion of PP2 (7.5, 15 and 30 microg), a Src kinase inhibitor, significantly depressed P-dependent estrous behavior (lordosis and proceptivity) in estradiol-primed rats. Icv infusion of 30 microg of PP2 also significantly attenuated estrous behavior induced by the ring A-reduced P metabolites 5 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (5 alpha-DHP) and 5 alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (allopregnanolone). PP2 did not inhibit estrous behavior induced by administration of high doses of estradiol alone to ovariectomized rats. We also assessed if the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is one of the neural sites at which progestins activate Src signaling to facilitate estrous behavior. Bilateral administration of 15 microg of PP2 into the VMH inhibited the stimulation of both lordosis and proceptive behaviors elicited by subcutaneous P administration to estradiol-primed rats. These results suggest that progestins act through Src/Raf/MAPK signaling to initiate estrous behaviors in estrogen-primed rats. This event is one component of the cellular pathways leading to the display of estrous behaviors induced by P and its ring A-reduced metabolites in female rats.