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Brasher MS, Mize TJ, Thomas AL, Hoeffer CA, Ehringer MA, Evans LM. Testing associations between human anxiety and genes previously implicated by mouse anxiety models. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12851. [PMID: 37259642 PMCID: PMC10733569 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are common and can be debilitating, with effective treatments remaining hampered by an incomplete understanding of the underlying genetic etiology. Improvements have been made in understanding the genetic influences on mouse behavioral models of anxiety, yet it is unclear the extent to which genes identified in these experimental systems contribute to genetic variation in human anxiety phenotypes. Leveraging new and existing large-scale human genome-wide association studies, we tested whether sets of genes previously identified in mouse anxiety-like behavior studies contribute to a range of human anxiety disorders. When tested as individual genes, 13 mouse-identified genes were associated with human anxiety phenotypes, suggesting an overlap of individual genes contributing to both mouse models of anxiety-like behaviors and human anxiety traits. When genes were tested as sets, we did identify 14 significant associations between mouse gene sets and human anxiety, but the majority of gene sets showed no significant association with human anxiety phenotypes. These few significant associations indicate a need to identify and develop more translatable mouse models by identifying sets of genes that "match" between model systems and specific human phenotypes of interest. We suggest that continuing to develop improved behavioral paradigms and finer-scale experimental data, for instance from individual neuronal subtypes or cell-type-specific expression data, is likely to improve our understanding of the genetic etiology and underlying functional changes in anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maizy S. Brasher
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Institute for Behavioral GeneticsBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Travis J. Mize
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Institute for Behavioral GeneticsBoulderColoradoUSA
| | | | - Charles A. Hoeffer
- Institute for Behavioral GeneticsBoulderColoradoUSA
- Department of Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Marissa A. Ehringer
- Institute for Behavioral GeneticsBoulderColoradoUSA
- Department of Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Luke M. Evans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Institute for Behavioral GeneticsBoulderColoradoUSA
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Mehrhoff EA, Booher WC, Hutchinson J, Schumacher G, Borski C, Lowry CA, Hoeffer CA, Ehringer MA. Diazepam effects on anxiety-related defensive behavior of male and female high and low open-field activity inbred mouse strains. Physiol Behav 2023; 271:114343. [PMID: 37689380 PMCID: PMC11131367 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Open-field activity is a commonly used measure of anxiety-related behavior in rodents. The inbred High and Low Activity strains of mice, selected for extreme differences in open-field activity, have been used as a genetic model of anxiety-related behaviors. These selected strains have been thoroughly studied through extensive behavioral testing, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, whole-genome sequencing, and RNA sequencing, to uncover phenotypic and genotypic differences related to anxiety-related behavior. However, the effects of anxiolytic drugs on anxiety-related behavior in these strains have not been studied previously. This study allowed us to expand on previous findings to further characterize the anxiety-related behavior of these unique strains, using an anxiolytic drug. The goal of this study was to determine whether the treatment of adult male and female High Activity (low anxiety) and Low Activity (high anxiety) mice with diazepam, an agonist at the benzodiazepine allosteric site on the GABAA receptor and a drug commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders in humans, led to decreases in anxiety-like defensive behavioral responses as assessed in the open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze (EPM). We tested the effects of three doses of diazepam (0, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 mg/kg, i.p.), given 30 min before behavioral testing to one High Activity strain (H2) and two Low Activity strains (L1 and L2). There was an anxiolytic effect of diazepam observed in the High Activity strain, with more entries into the open arms of the elevated plus-maze, an effect similar to that seen in common mouse strains. However, the only anxiolytic effect of diazepam seen in the Low Activity strains was a reduction in stretch attend posture (SAP). Low Activity strains also displayed freezing behavior in both the OFT and EPM. The combination of the observed freezing behavior, that was not reduced by diazepam, and the reduction in SAP seen with diazepam, suggests a more complex phenotype that includes a component of innate fear in addition to anxiety-related risk assessment behaviors. Since fear and anxiety are distinguishable traits, and both contribute to human anxiety disorders, these results provide novel insight about interpretation of previous genetic and phenotypic differences observed between the High and Low Activity strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika A Mehrhoff
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Winona C Booher
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
| | - Julianna Hutchinson
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Grace Schumacher
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Curtis Borski
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Charles A Hoeffer
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Marissa A Ehringer
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States.
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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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Announcement of the Fulker Award for a Paper Published in Behavior Genetics, Volume 51, 2021. Behav Genet 2022. [PMID: 36181570 PMCID: PMC9525935 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-022-10115-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Booher WC, Hall LA, Thomas AL, Merhroff EA, Reyes Martínez GJ, Scanlon KE, Lowry CA, Ehringer MA. Anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses in mice selectively bred for High and Low Activity. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12730. [PMID: 33786989 PMCID: PMC10846611 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
High and Low Activity strains of mice (displaying low and high anxiety-like behavior, respectively) with 7.8-20 fold differences in open-field activity were selected and subsequently inbred to use as a genetic model for studying anxiety-like behavior in mice (DeFries et al., 1978, Behavior Genetics, 8:3-13). These strains exhibited differences in other anxiety-related behaviors as assessed using the light-dark box, elevated plus-maze, mirror chamber, and elevated square-maze tests (Henderson et al., 2004, Behavior Genetics, 34: 267-293). The purpose of these experiments was three-fold. First, we repeated a 6-day behavioral battery using updated equipment and software to confirm the extreme differences in anxiety-like behaviors. Second, we tested novel object exploration, a measure of anxiety-like behavior that does not rely heavily on locomotion. Third, we conducted a home cage wheel running experiment to determine whether these strains differ in locomotor activity in a familiar, home cage environment. Our behavioral test battery confirmed extreme differences in multiple measures of anxiety-like behaviors. Furthermore, the novel object test demonstrated that the High Activity mice exhibited decreased anxiety-like behaviors (increased nose pokes) compared to Low Activity mice. Finally, male Low Activity mice ran nearly twice as far each day on running wheels compared to High Activity mice, while female High and Low Activity mice did not differ in wheel running. These results support the idea that the behavioral differences between High and Low Activity mice are likely to be due to anxiety-related factors and not simply generalized differences in locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winona C. Booher
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado,
Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Lucy A. Hall
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aimee L. Thomas
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Erika A. Merhroff
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for
Neuroscience, and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder,
Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Physical
Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus,
Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and
Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center
(RMRVAMC), Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research
and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA
- Senior Fellow, inVIVO Planetary Health, of the Worldwide
Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA
| | - Marissa A. Ehringer
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado,
Boulder, CO, USA
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