5-HT1A-iCre, a new transgenic mouse line for genetic analyses of the serotonergic pathway.
The 5-HT1A receptor not only plays an important role in brain physiology but it may be also implicated in the etiology of behavioral disorders such as pathological anxiety. To further define the role of 5-HT1A receptor-expressing neurons, we generated a transgenic mouse line expressing Cre recombinase in these cells. The 5-HT1A receptor open reading frame was substituted for that of Cre recombinase in a BAC containing the 5-HT1A receptor gene. In adult transgenic brain, Cre expression perfectly matched the distribution of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA. Additionally, Cre-mediated DNA recombination was restricted to neuronal populations that express the receptor, e.g., cerebral cortex, septum, hippocampus, dorsal raphe, thalamic, hypothalamic and amygdaloid nuclei, and spinal cord. Recombination occurred as early as E13 in trigeminal nerve, spinal ganglia and spinal cord. This transgenic line will allow the generation of conditional mutant mice that lack specific gene products along the serotonergic pathways and represents a unique tool for studying 5-HT1A-mediated serotonin signaling in the developing and adult brain.
Sahly
Iman
I
CNRS UMR7148, Molecular Genetics, Neurophysiology and Behavior, Institute of Biology, Collège de France, 11 place Marcelin Berthelot, 75231, Paris Cedex 5, France. iman.sahly@bhdc.jussieu.fr
Fabre
Véronique
V
Vyas
Sheela
S
Milet
Aude
A
Rouzeau
Jean-Denis
JD
Hamon
Michel
M
Lazar
Monique
M
Tronche
François
F
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000235:genetics*; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000235:genetics*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*
D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases