Behavior and stress reactivity in mouse strains with mitochondrial DNA variations.
We studied the behavior and neuroendocrine regulation under social disruption stress of C57BL/6J mice in which mitochondria were substituted by mitochondria from AKR/J or FVB/N strains. C57BL/6J-mt(FVB/N) mice were significantly more anxious in the elevated plus-maze test than C57BL/6J-mt(AKR/J) and C57BL/6J mice at base line. In addition, they showed a reduced corticosterone response and an activation of serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems after repeated challenge, i.e., social defeat and elevated plus-maze test. Our findings suggest that mitochondrial variations could affect anxiety-like behavior as well as corticosterone and neurotransmitter response to psychological stress.
Gimsa
Ulrike
U
Research Unit Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals, Dummerstorf, Germany. gimsa@fbn-dummerstorf.de
Kanitz
Ellen
E
Otten
Winfried
W
Ibrahim
Saleh M
SM
D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics*
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D003345:Corticosterone