Behavioural, neural and cardiovascular adaptations in mice lacking the NPY Y1 receptor.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is primarily synthesised and released by neurones, it is co-localised with noradrenaline and is involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function. In a mouse model lacking NPY Y1 receptor (KO), the ability of NPY to potentiate noradrenaline-induced vasoconstriction is abolished during stress but normal in baseline conditions, locomotor activity and metabolic rate are lowered, blood insulin levels and glucose storage activity are increased. The present study was aimed at further characterising NPY Y1 mutants, with special emphasis on: behavioural responses to novelty seeking and open-field with objects tests, heart rate responsiveness during acute social defeat, alpha2-adrenoceptor (alpha2-ARs) function in brain areas involved in cardiovascular regulation, and cardiac structure. As compared to wild-type controls (n=9), NPY Y1 KOs (n=9) showed: reduced somatomotor activation during non-social challenges, lower heart rate in baseline conditions, larger heart rate responsiveness during social defeat, increased number of alpha2-ARs in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (nX) and the locus coeruleus (LC), moderately larger volume fraction of myocardial fibrosis. The remarkable increment of alpha2-adrenoceptor density in the nX and LC allows to view KO mice behavioural and anatomo-physiological peripheral characteristics as 'adaptations' to central adrenergic rearrangement due to NPY Y1 receptor deletion.
Costoli
Tania
T
Department of Evolutionary and Functional Biology, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11A, 43100 Parma, Italy. costoli@biol.unipr.it
Sgoifo
Andrea
A
Stilli
Donatella
D
Flugge
Gabriele
G
Adriani
Walter
W
Laviola
Giovanni
G
Fuchs
Eberhard
E
Pedrazzini
Thierry
T
Musso
Ezio
E
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002299:Cardia / Q000473:pathology; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014316:Tritium / Q000494:pharmacology
D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; C097212:neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptor; D014316:Tritium; D003000:Clonidine