title: Altered gene expression in mice selected for high maternal aggression.
abstract: We previously applied selective breeding on outbred mice to increase maternal aggression (maternal defense). In this study, we compared gene expression within a continuous region of the central nervous system (CNS) involved in maternal aggression (hypothalamus and preoptic regions) between lactating selected (S) and nonselected control (C) mice (n= 6 per group). Using microarrays representing over 40,000 genes or expressed sequence tags, two statistical algorithms were used to identify significant differences in gene expression: robust multiarray and the probe logarithmic intensity error method. Approximately 200 genes were identified as significant using an intersection from both techniques. A subset of genes was examined for confirmation by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Significant decreases were found in S mice for neurotensin and neuropeptide Y receptor Y2 (both confirmed by PCR). Significant increases were found in S mice for neuronal nitric oxide synthase (confirmed by PCR), the K+ channel subunit, Kcna1 (confirmed by PCR), corticotrophin releasing factor binding protein (just above significance using PCR; P= 0.051) and GABA A receptor subunit 1A (not confirmed by PCR, but similar direction). S mice also exhibited significantly higher levels of the neurotransmitter receptor, adenosine A1 receptor and the transcription factors, c-Fos, and Egr-1. Interestingly, for 24 genes related to metabolism, all were significantly elevated in S mice, suggesting altered metabolism in these mice. Together, this study provides a list of candidate genes (some previously implicated in maternal aggression and some novel) that may play an important role in the production of this behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, and Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. scgammie@wisc.edu
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gammie
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Jessen
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vanzo
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Awad
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012313:RNA