Genes Influencing Social Behaviors

描述（由申请人提供）：经典观点认为催产素（OT）促进亲和行为，精氨酸抗利尿素（VP）增强攻击性。但很多数据与此相矛盾。这种混淆并不纯粹是由于神经解剖学的细节、性别或物种。我将使用两种新颖的方法来比较OT和VP响应系统：(1)运用分子工具和一些新的行为思维；和(2)。使用雌激素(E)作为生物学相关探针。为了最大限度地利用遗传知识和初步证据，我们将使用雌性小鼠。具体来说：我将使用基因敲除来干扰OT基因表达和OT受体——所有有趣的结果都伴随着一种新的反义DNA技术——并测量一种有趣的行为——母性攻击（作为生殖的一部分），与“附属行为”相比，与睾丸激素促进的攻击相比，母性关怀。（我已经表明，在半自然环境中生活有助于揭示迄今为止尚未实现的行为表型。）目的二世。这些系统的雌激素调控提供了用新的e相关分子工具进行探测的机会。ER基因敲除小鼠、反义寡核苷酸和选择性激动剂和拮抗剂是否会改变上述三种行为？第三目标。将在正常怀孕和哺乳期小鼠身上验证本项目的主要发现。在所有Aims中，分子操作的重要目标将在杏仁核中：基底外侧核与恐惧有关；焦虑的中央核；以及通过信息素传递信号的中庸区域。所有这些功能都可能影响本项目中测量的三种行为。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A classical view claims that oxytocin (OT) fosters affiliative behaviors and arginine vasopressin (VP) enhances aggression. But a lot of data conflict with this. The confusion is not due purely to neuroanatomical details, or gender or species. I will use two novel approaches to compare OT and VP responsive systems: (I.) Using molecular tools and some new behavioral thinking; and (II.) Using estrogens (E) as biologically relevant probes. In order to take maximal advantage of genetic knowledge and preliminary evidence we will use female mice. Specifically: Aim I. I will perturb OT gene expression and OT receptors using gene knockouts - with all interesting results followed up by a novel antisense DNA technique - and measure an interesting behavior maternal aggression (as part of reproduction), compared to an 'affiliative behavior', maternal care compared to testosterone-facilitated aggression. (I have already shown that seminatural environment living helps to reveal hitherto unrealized behavioral phenotypes.) Aim II. Estrogenic regulations of these systems offer the opportunity to probe with novel E-related molecular tools. Will ER gene knockout mice, antisense oligos, and selective agonists and antagonists change the three behaviors above in the predicted directions? Aim III. Will verify major discoveries of this project in normal pregnant and lactating mice. In all Aims, important targets for molecular manipulations will be in the amygdala: The basolateral nuclei are involved in fear; the central nucleus in anxiety; and the mediocortical region in signaling by pheromones. All of these functions could influence the three behaviors measured in this project. Also important: The dorsolateral preoptic area for maternal behavior, and the dorsal raphe for serotonin and aggression. This project uses the multidisciplinary capacity of my laboratory and the Rockefeller University campus, and is written in an "if/then" style to show how we will maximize the impact of 5 years of work. These experiments will increase our understanding of two extremely important transcriptional systems, OT and VP, with widespread projections and significant autonomic and behavioral effects. Impact: OT may be involved in postpartum depression. OT systems certainly facilitate social recognition, disorders of which are prominent in autism and in schizophrenia.