Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY.
Bioessays. 2010 Nov;32(11):932-9. doi: 10.1002/bies.201000064. Epub 2010 Sep 10.
Expression of sexually dimorphic behaviors critical for reproduction depends on the organizational actions of steroid hormones on the developing brain. We offer the new hypothesis that transcriptional activities in brain regions executing these sexually dimorphic behaviors are modulated by estrogen-induced modifications of histone proteins. Specifically, in preoptic nerve cells responsible for facilitating male sexual behavior in rodents, gene expression is fostered by increased histone acetylation and reduced methylation (Me), and, that the opposite set of histone modifications will be found in females. Conversely, in ventromedial hypothalamic neurons that are responsible for coordinating female sexual behavior, transcriptional activities in genetic females are fostered by increased histone acetylation and reduced Me, and, further, that the opposite set of histone modifications will be found in males. Thus, these epigenetic events will guarantee that effects of sex hormone exposure during the neonatal critical period will be translated into lasting sex differences in adult reproductive behaviors.
表达与生殖密切相关的性别二态性行为取决于类固醇激素对大脑发育的组织作用。我们提出了一个新的假说，即执行这些性别二态性行为的脑区的转录活性受雌激素诱导的组蛋白修饰调节。具体来说，在负责促进啮齿动物雄性性行为的视前神经细胞中，基因表达受到组蛋白乙酰化增加和甲基化（Me）减少的促进，而女性中则会发现相反的组蛋白修饰。相反，在负责协调雌性性行为的腹内侧下丘脑神经元中，遗传雌性的转录活性受到组蛋白乙酰化增加和 Me 减少的促进，并且，在雄性中会发现相反的组蛋白修饰。因此，这些表观遗传事件将保证新生儿关键期暴露于性激素的影响将转化为成年生殖行为中持久的性别差异。
