title: Increased alcohol consumption in relaxin-3 deficient male mice.
abstract: Relaxin-3 is a neuropeptide expressed in the brainstem, and predominantly localized in the gray matter of the midline dorsal pons termed the nucleus incertus. Relaxin-3-expressing neurons densely project axons rostrally to various forebrain regions including the septum, hippocampus, and lateral hypothalamus. Several relaxin-3 functions have been reported including food intake, stress responses, neuroendocrine function, emotion, and spatial memory. In addition, recently relaxin-3 and its receptor, RXFP3, were shown to regulate alcohol intake using an RXFP3 antagonist and RXFP3 gene knockout mice. In the present study, we investigated alcohol consumption in relaxin-3 knockout mice, and found that male but not female mice significantly drank more alcohol than wild-type mice in the two-bottle choice test. However, after chronic alcohol vapor exposure, wild-type and mutant mice did not show this difference in alcohol intake, although both genotypes exhibited increased alcohol consumption compared with non-alcohol-exposed control mice. There was no genotype difference in sucrose or quinine preference. These results suggest that the relaxin-3 neuronal system modestly affects alcohol preference and consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan; Department of Dental Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirahase
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan; Department of Dental Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Miku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Geriatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. Electronic address: mtanaka@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012065:Relaxin / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: C512898:relaxin-3 protein, mouse; D000431:Ethanol; D012065:Relaxin
keywords: Alcohol; Knockout; Mouse; Relaxin-3