Phosphodiesterase 5A regulates the vomeronasal pump in mice

Abstract

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a specialized chemoreceptive structure in many vertebrates that detects chemical stimuli, mostly pheromones, which often elicit innate behaviors such as mating and aggression. Previous studies in rodents have demonstrated that chemical stimuli are actively transported to the VNO via a blood vessel-based pumping mechanism, and this pumping mechanism is necessary for vomeronasal stimulation in behaving animals. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the vomeronasal pump remain mostly unknown. In this study, we observed a high level of expression of phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) in the vomeronasal blood vessel of mice. We provided evidence to support the potential role of PDE5A in vomeronasal pump regulation. Local application of PDE5A inhibitors—sildenafil or tadalafil—to the vomeronasal organ (VNO) reduced stimulus delivery into the VNO, decreased the pheromone-induced activity of vomeronasal sensory neurons, and attenuated male–male aggressive behaviors. PDE5A is well known to play a role in regulating blood vessel tone in several organs. Our study advances our understanding of the molecular regulation of the vomeronasal pump.