An altered neonatal behavioral phenotype in Mecp2 mutant mice.
We examined somatic growth, somatosensory reflexes, and ultrasonic calls from postnatal day 3 to day 18 in Mecp2 mutant mice, a mouse model of Rett syndrome. Both Mecp2 null male and Mecp2 heterozygous female mice exhibited normal somatic growth, but transient delays in the development of some reflexes relative to sex-matched wild-type mice. Both Mecp2 null male and heterozygous female mice exhibited dramatic increases in ultrasonic vocalizations in response to social isolation; these differences were evident as early as postnatal day 5. These results suggest very early abnormalities in sensory reflex development and behavioral responsiveness in the Mecp2 mutants that may provide a target for early therapeutic intervention.
Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Jonathan D
JD
Picker
Rebecca
R
Yang
Laura
L
Ricceri
Joanne
J
Berger-Sweeney
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal
C497393:Mecp2 protein, mouse; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2