整合生殖状态和社会线索控制社会性行为，这一成果由清华大学李坤研究团队经过不懈努力而取得。相关论文于2025年5月20日发表于国际顶尖学术期刊《细胞》杂志上。
小组发现初级雌激素敏感的表达Cacna1h的内侧前额叶皮层（mPFCCacna1h+）神经元将激素状态与潜在伴侣的识别结合起来，协调这些复杂的认知行为。mPFCCacna1h+神经元的双向操纵通过下丘脑前部输出改变雌性的异性定向社会行为。在雄性中，这些神经元的功能与雌性的相反。微镜成像显示不同mPFCCacna1h+亚群的自我雌激素状态和社会目标性别的混合表征，在雌性和雄性的雌激素中存在异性信号的偏编码。机制上，卵巢激素诱导的Cacna1h上调可增强催产素抑制后的t型反弹兴奋，驱动mPFCCacna1h+神经元的雌激素特异性活性改变和性二态功能。这些发现揭示了一个前额回路，它整合了内部荷尔蒙状态和目标性别信息，从而对适应性社会行为施加自上而下的性双价控制。
研究人员表示，女性的社会性行为对生存和繁殖至关重要，受卵巢激素的调节，并在适当的社会线索的背景下触发。
附：英文原文
Title: Integrating reproductive states and social cues in the control of sociosexual behaviors
Author: Yuping Wang, Xinli Song, Xiangmao Chen, Ying Zhou, Jihao Ma, Fang Zhang, Liqiang Wei, Guoxu Qi, Nakul Yadav, Benjie Miao, Yiming Yan, Guohua Yuan, Da Mi, Priyamvada Rajasethupathy, Ines Ibaez-Tallon, Xiaoxuan Jia, Nathaniel Heintz, Kun Li
Issue&Volume: 2025-05-20
Abstract: Female sociosexual behaviors, essential for survival and reproduction, are modulated by ovarian hormones and triggered in the context of appropriate social cues. Here, we identify primary estrous-sensitive Cacna1h-expressing medial prefrontal cortex (mPFCCacna1h+) neurons that integrate hormonal states with recognition of potential mates to orchestrate these complex cognitive behaviors. Bidirectional manipulation of mPFCCacna1h+ neurons shifts opposite-sex-directed social behaviors between estrus and diestrus females via anterior hypothalamic outputs. In males, these neurons serve opposite functions compared with estrus females. Miniscope imaging reveals mixed representation of self-estrous states and social target sex in distinct mPFCCacna1h+ subpopulations, with biased encoding of opposite-sex cues in estrus females and males. Mechanistically, ovarian-hormone-induced Cacna1h upregulation enhances T-type rebound excitation after oxytocin inhibition, driving estrus-specific activity changes and the sexually dimorphic function of mPFCCacna1h+ neurons. These findings uncover a prefrontal circuit that integrates internal hormonal states and target-sex information to exert sexually bivalent top-down control over adaptive social behaviors.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.035
Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00505-7