title: Novel monoamine oxidase A knock out mice with human-like spontaneous mutation.
abstract: A novel line of mutant mice [monoamine oxidase A knockout (MAOA KO)] harboring a spontaneous point nonsense mutation in exon 8 of the MAO A gene was serendipitously identified in a 129/SvEvTac colony. This mutation is analogous to the cause of a rare human disorder, Brunner syndrome, characterized by complete MAO A deficiency and impulsive aggressiveness. Concurrent with previous studies of MAO A KO mice generated by insertional mutagenesis ('Tg8'), MAOA(A863T) KO lack MAO A enzyme activity and display enhanced aggression toward intruder mice. MAOA(A863T) KO, however, exhibited lower locomotor activity in a novel, inescapable open field and similar immobility during tail suspension compared with wild type, observations which differ from reports of Tg8. These findings consolidate evidence linking MAO A to aggression and highlight subtle yet distinctive phenotypical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Anna L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bortolato
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D040181:Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase