PUBERTY ACCELERATION IN FEMALE MICE INDUCED WITH A PARTIALLY PURIFIED MALE URINE EXTRACT - EFFECTS ON CATECHOLAMINE RELEASE FROM THE OLFACTORY BULBS AND HYPOTHALAMUS

In the present experiment peri-pubertal female mice were treated with a partially purified puberty accelerating urine extract (PAUE). Mice treated with the PAUE showed an advance in the onset of puberty as indicated by significantly increased uterine weights. Treatment with the PAUE did not alter basal or potassium- (K+, 30 mM) stimulated release of catecholamines (dopamine or norepinephrine) from either anterior or posterior superfused olfactory bulb tissue fragments. There was, however, an overall significantly greater amount of basal and K+-stimulated release of NE from the posterior vs. the anterior olfactory bulb. Potassium-stimulated-, but not basal, release of catecholamines from the medial basal hypothalamus of PAUE-treated female mice were increased, with dopamine showing a statistically significant difference compared to water-treated females. These data demonstrate that treatment with the PAUE is a very effective means to accelerate the onset of puberty and results in accompanying increases in catecholaminergic activity, in particular dopamine, within the medial basal hypothalamus.