title: S100A1-deficient male mice exhibit increased exploratory activity and reduced anxiety-related responses.
abstract: S100 proteins comprise a family of Ca(2+) binding proteins of at least 21 members. They are distinctly expressed in a variety of cell types and tissues and are thought to play unique roles, although they share a high degree of sequence homology and expression overlap. S100A1 is prominently expressed in the heart, where it takes part in Ca(2+)-cycling. Its role in the central nervous system (CNS) is largely unknown. We have generated S100A1-deficient mice by gene trap mutagenesis to study the involvement of S100A1 in the cytoarchitecture of the brain, in learning and memory, and in avoidance-approach behavior. S100A1 knock out (KO) mice develop well and their brains present with normal morphology. In wild type (Wt) mice, S100A1 protein was found in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and amygdala, and partially co-localized with the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the stratum radiatum of the hippocampus. Astrocytes and neurons of S100A1KO mice did not differ from those of Wt mice regarding shape, distribution and density. In the water maze, S100A1KO mice performed equally well as Wt, implying that S100A1 is not involved in spatial learning and memory. In avoidance-approach tests, predominantly male S100A1KO mice showed reduced anxiety-like responses and enhanced explorative activities. We conclude that S100A1 plays a role in modulating innate fear and exploration of novel stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Pediatrics, University of Zürich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gabriele E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marenholz
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wolfer
authors.forename: Wood Yee
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Erne
authors.forename: Claus W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Heizmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins; C110294:S100A1 protein