Neuropeptide Modulation of Aggression

描述（由申请人提供）：攻击是一种普遍存在的行为，在社会交往中很重要，如建立领土，获得食物来源和交配成功。 过度攻击也是一些神经退行性疾病的症状之一。胺能递质，如血清素、多巴胺和去甲肾上腺素（或其无脊椎动物同系物，章鱼胺）是一种公认的神经递质，在攻击中发挥作用。 在脊椎动物中，两个家族的肽在攻击中的重要作用也已确定（AVP和GnRH肽家族），但这些在无脊椎动物系统中的研究较少。 使用行为分析，免疫细胞化学检查肽和胺的共定位，和GAL 4/UAS系统遗传操纵神经肽的释放，肽在侵略中的作用将在果蝇模型中进行检查，该模型允许对战斗行为进行严格的量化。 本研究的目的是探索以下可能性：（1）神经肽与生物胺在D.黑胃神经系统;和（II）共表达的肽或与胺神经元相互作用的肽在调节攻击性中起作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Aggression is a ubiquitous behavior important in social interactions such as the establishment of territory, access to food source, and mating success. Excessive aggression is also one symptom of some neurodegenerative disorders. Aminergic transmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (or its invertebrate homologue, octopamine) are one well-established category of neurotransmitter that play a role in aggression. In vertebrates, important roles for two families of peptides in aggression also have been established (AVP and GnRH peptide families) but these have been less well studied in invertebrate systems. With the use of behavioral analysis, immunocytochemistry to examine the co-localization of peptides and amines, and the GAL4/UAS system to genetically manipulate neuropeptide release, the role of peptides in aggression will be examined in a Drosophila model, which allows for the rigorous quantification of fighting behavior. The aims proposed here explore the possibility: (I) that neuropeptides are co-expressed with biogenic amines in the D. melanogaster nervous system; and (II) that the co-expressed peptides or peptides that interact with amine neurons play a role in regulating aggression.