Fig. 2

Females with LKB1-null sensory neurons have altered estrous cycling and lower serum estradiol levels. Estrous cycling was tracked for ten days with twice daily vaginal lavage sample collection. The percentage of samples for each mouse in (a) proestrus, (b) estrus, (c), metestrus, and (d) diestrus across the entire collection period. (a) Proestrus: (WT: mean ± SEM = 13.5 ± 1.7%; LKB1^fl/fl: mean ± SEM = 17.9 ± 1.97%; Na_v1.8^LKB1: mean ± SEM = 10.9 ± 1.6%. (b) Estrus: (WT: mean ± SEM = 23.96 ± 3.8%; LKB1^fl/fl: mean ± SEM = 40.8 ± 4.3%; Na_v1.8^LKB1: mean ± SEM = 42.2 ± 4.5%. (c) Metestrus: WT: mean ± SEM = 22.9 ± 3.3%; LKB1^fl/fl: mean ± SEM = 17.8 ± 2.5%; Na_v1.8^LKB1: mean ± SEM = 19.2 ± 1.8%. (d) Diestrus: WT: mean ± SEM = 39.6 ± 4.8%; LKB1^fl/fl: mean ± SEM = 23.5 ± 4.8%; Na_v1.8^LKB1: mean ± SEM = 27.7 ± 3.9%. (e) Total cycle length (days between proestrus smears): (WT: mean ± SEM = 4.5 ± 0.27 days; LKB1^fl/fl: mean ± SEM = 4.9 ± 0.33 days; Na_v1.8^LKB1: mean ± SEM = 5.0 ± 0.36 days. For (a–e), WT: n = 12 females; LKB1^fl/fl: n = 17 females; Na_v1.8^LKB1: n = 17 females. (f) Serum estradiol (pg/mL) levels across the estrous cycle. (WT: n = 5–7 biological replicates per phase; LKB1^fl/fl: n = 6–13 biological replicates per phase; Na_v1.8^LKB1: n = 7–12 biological replicates per phase; all biological replicates were assayed in duplicate). The dotted line indicates the mean serum estradiol (53 pg/mL) for age-matched male mice. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001, ****p < 0.0001 by ordinary one-way ANOVA (a–e) or ordinary two-way ANOVA (f).