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Ramos A, Granzotto N, Kremer R, Boeder AM, de Araújo JFP, Pereira AG, Izídio GS. Hunting for Genes Underlying Emotionality in the Laboratory Rat: Maps, Tools and Traps. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1840-1863. [PMID: 36056863 PMCID: PMC10514530 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220901154034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientists have systematically investigated the hereditary bases of behaviors since the 19th century, moved by either evolutionary questions or clinically-motivated purposes. The pioneer studies on the genetic selection of laboratory animals had already indicated, one hundred years ago, the immense complexity of analyzing behaviors that were influenced by a large number of small-effect genes and an incalculable amount of environmental factors. Merging Mendelian, quantitative and molecular approaches in the 1990s made it possible to map specific rodent behaviors to known chromosome regions. From that point on, Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) analyses coupled with behavioral and molecular techniques, which involved in vivo isolation of relevant blocks of genes, opened new avenues for gene mapping and characterization. This review examines the QTL strategy applied to the behavioral study of emotionality, with a focus on the laboratory rat. We discuss the challenges, advances and limitations of the search for Quantitative Trait Genes (QTG) playing a role in regulating emotionality. For the past 25 years, we have marched the long journey from emotionality-related behaviors to genes. In this context, our experiences are used to illustrate why and how one should move forward in the molecular understanding of complex psychiatric illnesses. The promise of exploring genetic links between immunological and emotional responses are also discussed. New strategies based on humans, rodents and other animals (such as zebrafish) are also acknowledged, as they are likely to allow substantial progress to be made in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Ramos
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Natalli Granzotto
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Rafael Kremer
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Ariela Maína Boeder
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Julia Fernandez Puñal de Araújo
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Aline Guimarães Pereira
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Geison Souza Izídio
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
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T cell monitoring of chemotherapy in experimental rat tuberculosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2011; 55:3677-83. [PMID: 21628535 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00136-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of a pulmonary epidemic that is estimated to infect one-third of the world's population and that has an increased incidence of multidrug resistance. The evaluation of new chemical entities against M. tuberculosis is hampered by the lack of biological tools to help predict efficacy, from early drug development to clinical trials. As the rat is the animal species of choice in the pharmaceutical industry, we have developed a rat model of acute and chronic phases of M. tuberculosis infection for drug efficacy testing. In this model, we have evaluated the impact of tuberculosis drugs on T cell response using the enzyme-linked immunospot assay methodology. Infected rats treated with isoniazid (INH) or rifampin (RIF) responded to therapy, the potency of which was comparable to that seen in the mouse. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from infected rats produced gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in response to RD-1 antigens, such as the 6-kDa early secretory antigen target (ESAT-6) and the 10-kDa culture filtrate protein (CFP-10). A decrease in IFN-γ spot-forming cells (SFCs) was consistently observed in response to drug treatment. In both the acute- and chronic-phase models, the T cell response was more sensitive to ESAT-6 than to CFP-10. The SFC count in response to ESAT-6 appears to be an indicator of bacterial killing in the rat. Collectively, our data suggest that the ESAT-6 response could be used as a potential surrogate of drug efficacy in the rat and that such a readout could help shorten drug testing during preclinical development.
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Izídio GS, Oliveira LC, Oliveira LFG, Pereira E, Wehrmeister TD, Ramos A. The influence of sex and estrous cycle on QTL for emotionality and ethanol consumption. Mamm Genome 2011; 22:329-40. [PMID: 21516450 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-011-9327-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/05/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Mileusnic R, Rose S. The chick as a model for the study of the cellular mechanisms and potential therapies for Alzheimer's disease. Int J Alzheimers Dis 2010; 2010. [PMID: 20721285 PMCID: PMC2915614 DOI: 10.4061/2010/180734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While animal experiments have contributed much to our understanding of the mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), their value in predicting the effectiveness of treatment strategies in clinical trials has remained controversial. The disparity between the results obtained in animal models and clinical trials may in part be explained by limitations of the models and species-specific differences. We propose that one trial passive avoidance in the day-old chick is a useful system to study AD because of the close sequence homologies of chick and human amyloid precursor protein (APP). In the chick, APP is essential for memory consolidation, and disrupting its synthesis or structure results in amnesia. RER, a tripeptide sequence corresponding to part of the growth domain of APP, can restore memory loss and act as a cognitive enhancer. We suggest that RER and its homologues may form the basis for potential pharmacological protection against memory loss in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Mileusnic
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
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