Archunan G, Kamalakkannan S, Achiraman S, Rajkumar R
Department of Animal Science, Bharathidasan University Tiruchirapalli 620 024, India.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2004 Oct;42(10):1032-5.
Proteins (18-20 kDa) belonging to lipocalin family have been reported to act as carriers for ligands binding to pheromones in mouse urine, pig saliva, hamster vaginal fluid and human sweat, that are involved in pheromonal communication. As the preputial gland is a major pheromonal source, the present study was aimed to detect the specific protein bands (around 18-20 kDa) in the preputial and clitoral glands of the house rat, R. rattus. The amount of protein was higher in preputial gland of the male than that of female (clitoral) gland. A 20 kDa protein was noted in male and female glands; however, the intensity of the band was much higher in male than in female. In addition, 70, 60, 35 kDa bands, identified in male preputial gland, were absent in females. The presence of higher concentration of glandular proteins in the male preputial gland suggests that male rats may depend more on these glandular proteins for the maintenance of reproductive and dominance behaviours. The results further suggest that these glandular proteins (20 kDa) may act as a carrier for ligand binding.
据报道，属于脂质运载蛋白家族的蛋白质（18 - 20 kDa）在小鼠尿液、猪唾液、仓鼠阴道液和人类汗液中作为与信息素结合的配体载体，参与信息素通讯。由于包皮腺是主要的信息素来源，本研究旨在检测家鼠（黑家鼠）包皮腺和阴蒂腺中特定的蛋白条带（约18 - 20 kDa）。雄性包皮腺中的蛋白量高于雌性（阴蒂）腺。在雄性和雌性腺体中均检测到一条20 kDa的蛋白条带；然而，该条带在雄性中的强度远高于雌性。此外，在雄性包皮腺中鉴定出的70、60、35 kDa条带在雌性中不存在。雄性包皮腺中腺体蛋白浓度较高，这表明雄性大鼠可能更多地依赖这些腺体蛋白来维持生殖和优势行为。结果进一步表明，这些腺体蛋白（20 kDa）可能作为配体结合的载体。
