Estrogen receptors, photoperiod, and aggression

描述(由申请人提供)：后基因组时代最重要的科学进步之一是阐明了基因和环境的相互作用。这些相互作用的存在已经得到了很好的证实，但只有在过去的十年里，才能在分子水平上研究这些相互作用的细节。这项应用旨在研究日长对海滩小鼠雌激素受体(ER)表达、攻击性和交配行为的影响。首先，我们将检测长时间和短时间对ERa和ERbeta蛋白和mRNA的影响。其次，将通过激素操纵实验来检验ER调节的功能后果，该实验将测试ERα和ERβ对长白天和短白天的攻击和交配行为的影响。最后，这项研究将考察ER阳性细胞在不同社会背景下的反应。重要的是，海滩鼠的行为反应类似于人类，因为行为变化会在不同的季节观察到，但繁殖活动不会受到短白天的抑制。越来越多的临床研究表明雌激素功能对攻击行为和精神障碍有重要影响。这项研究将为理解环境如何与内质网功能相互作用来调节行为提供一个新颖而重要的框架。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): One of the most important scientific advances in the post-genomic age has been the elucidation of gene and environment interactions. The existence of these interactions has been well-established, but only within the past decade could the details of these interactions be examined at a molecular level. This application proposes to examine the effects of day length on estrogen receptor (ER) expression, aggression, and mating behavior in beach mice. First, the effects of long days and short days on ERalpha and ERbeta protein and mRNA will be examined. Second, the functional consequences of ER regulation will be examined with hormone manipulation experiments that will test the effects of ERalpha and ERbeta on aggression and mating behavior in long days and short days. Finally, this research will examine how ER positive cells respond in different social contexts. Importantly, the behavioral responses of the beach mouse resemble those of humans in that behavioral changes are observed across seasons, but reproductive activity is not suppressed by short days. There is a growing body of clinical research which indicates that estrogenic function has important effects on aggressive behavior and mental disorders. The proposed research should provide a novel and important framework to understand how the environment interacts with ER function to modulate behavior.