The many facets of the oxytocin (OXT) system of the brain and periphery elicited nearly 25,000 publications since 1930 (see FIGURE 1 , as listed in PubMed), which revealed central roles for OXT and its receptor (OXTR) in reproduction, and social and emotional behaviors in animal and human studies focusing on mental and physical health and disease. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of OXT expression and release, expression and binding of the OXTR in brain and periphery, OXTR-coupled signaling cascades, and their involvement in behavioral outcomes to assemble a comprehensive picture of the central and peripheral OXT system. Traditionally known for its role in milk let-down and uterine contraction during labor, OXT also has implications in physiological, and also behavioral, aspects of reproduction, such as sexual and maternal behaviors and pair bonding, but also anxiety, trust, sociability, food intake, or even drug abuse. The many facets of OXT are, on a molecular basis, brought about by a single receptor. The OXTR, a 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor capable of binding to either Gαi or Gαq proteins, activates a set of signaling cascades, such as the MAPK, PKC, PLC, or CaMK pathways, which converge on transcription factors like CREB or MEF-2. The cellular response to OXT includes regulation of neurite outgrowth, cellular viability, and increased survival. OXTergic projections in the brain represent anxiety and stress-regulating circuits connecting the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or the medial prefrontal cortex. Which OXT-induced patterns finally alter the behavior of an animal or a human being is still poorly understood, and studying those OXTR-coupled signaling cascades is one initial step toward a better understanding of the molecular background of those behavioral effects.

中文翻译：

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催产素受体：从细胞内信号传导到行为。

自1930年以来，大脑和周围的催产素（OXT）系统的许多方面引发了近25,000种出版物（参见PubMed中列出的图1），这些出版物揭示了OXT及其受体（OXTR）在生殖，社会和社会活动中的核心作用。动物和人类研究中的情感行为侧重于身心健康和疾病。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了OXT表达和释放的机制，OXTR在大脑和周围的表达与结合，OXTR耦合的信号级联及其在行为结果中的参与，以组装出中央和外围OXT系统的综合图。OXT传统上因其在分娩过程中排乳和子宫收缩而闻名，它在生理和行为方面也具有重要意义，例如性行为和产妇的行为以及伴侣之间的关系，还包括焦虑，信任，社交性，食物摄入甚至滥用药物。从分子角度看，OXT的许多方面是由单一受体产生的。OXTR是7跨膜G蛋白偶联受体，能够与Gαi或Gαq蛋白结合，可激活一系列信号级联，例如MAPK，PKC，PLC或CaMK途径，这些途径会收敛于CREB或MEF-2。细胞对OXT的反应包括神经突生长的调节，细胞活力和存活率的提高。大脑中的OXTergic投影表示焦虑和压力调节回路，连接下丘脑的室旁核，杏仁核，终末皮层的床核或内侧前额叶皮层。