Behavioral phenotype of maLPA1-null mice: increased anxiety-like behavior and spatial memory deficits |
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| Authors: | L J Santin A Bilbao C Pedraza E Matas-Rico D López-Barroso E Castilla-Ortega J Sánchez-López R Riquelme I Varela-Nieto P de la Villa M Suardíaz J Chun F Rodriguez De Fonseca G Estivill-Torrús |
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| Institution: | Departamento de Psicobiologíay Metodología de las CC, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Laboratorio de Investigación, Grupo de Investigación en Neurofarmacología de Transmisores Lipídicos, y Laboratorio de Medicina Regenerativa, Fundación IMABIS, Hospital Carlos Haya, Málaga, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Alberto Sols', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain; Laboratorio de Función Sensitivomotora, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Finca de la Peraleda s/n, Toledo, Spain; Department of Molecular Biology, Helen L. Dorris Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Disorder Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA |
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| Abstract: | Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has emerged as a new regulatory molecule in the brain. Recently, some studies have shown a role for this molecule and its LPA1 receptor in the regulation of plasticity and neurogenesis in the adult brain. However, no systematic studies have been conducted to investigate whether the LPA1 receptor is involved in behavior. In this study, we studied the phenotype of maLPA1-null mice, which bear a targeted deletion at the lpa 1 locus, in a battery of tests examining neurologic performance, habituation in exploratory behavior in response to low and mild anxiety environments and spatial memory. MaLPA1-null mutants showed deficits in both olfaction and somesthesis, but not in retinal or auditory functions. Sensorimotor co-ordination was impaired only in the equilibrium and grasping reflexes. The mice also showed impairments in neuromuscular strength and analgesic response. No additional differences were observed in the rest of the tests used to study sensoriomotor orientation, limb reflexes and co-ordinated limb use. At behavioral level, maLPA1-null mice showed an impaired exploration in the open field and increased anxiety-like response when exposed to the elevated plus maze. Furthermore, the mice exhibit impaired spatial memory retention and reduced use of spatial strategies in the Morris water maze. We propose that the LPA1 receptor may play a major role in both spatial memory and response to anxiety-like conditions. |
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| Keywords: | Elevated plus maze lysophosphatidic acid maLPA1-null mice neurologic screening open field water maze |
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