title: Decreased sensory responses in osteocalcin null mutant mice imply neuropeptide function.
abstract: Osteocalcin, the most abundant member of the family of extracellular mineral binding gamma-carboxyglutamic acid proteins is synthesized primarily by osteoblasts. Its affinity for calcium ions is believed to limit bone mineralization. Several of the numerous hormones that regulate synthesis of osteocalcin, including glucocorticoids and parathyroid hormone, are also affected by stressful stimuli that require energy for an appropriate response. Based on our observations of OC responding to stressful sensory stimuli, the expression of OC in mouse and rat sensory ganglia was confirmed. It was thus hypothesized that the behavioral responses of the OC knockout mouse to stressful sensory stimuli would be abnormal. To test this hypothesis, behaviors related to sensory aspects of the stress response were quantified in nine groups of mice, aged 4-14 months, comparing knockout with their wild-type counterparts in six distinctly different behavioral tests. Resulting data indicated the following statistically significant differences: open field grooming frequency following saline injection, wild-type > knockout; paw stimulation with Von Frey fibers, knockout < wild-type; balance beam, knockout mobility < WT; thermal sensitivity to heat (tail flick), knockout < wild-type; and cold, knockout < wild-type. Insignificant differences in hanging wire test indicate that these responses are unrelated to reduced muscle strength. Each of these disparate environmental stimuli provided data indicating alterations of responses in knockout mice that suggest participation of osteocalcin in transmission of information about those sensory stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Center of Alcohol Studies Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. buckendp@rci.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patterson-Buckendahl
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sowinska
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Dhara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagkalinawan
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: Larissa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pohorecky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005724:Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006120:Grooming; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D015675:Osteocalcin