Long-term isolated housing causes anxiety in C57BL/6J female mice

Behaviour of female C57BL/6J strain mice was studied in the elevated plus-maze and Porsolt's tests after either long-lasting individual housing or keeping with daily shifting group-housed females (social instability). After 2-3 months, an increased level of anxiety in the individually housed females was revealed in the elevated plus-maze. However, in 3 months the least passive behaviour in the Porsolt's was in the individually housed females. No changes were found in behaviour of females individually housed at 3 weeks of age for 4 months. Also, females with preliminary social contacts with males and following individual housing for one month had not any abnormalities in the used behavioural tests. Social instability conditions did not significantly influence the females' plus-maze behaviour, but decreased the passive behaviour in the Porsolt's test.     

The characteristics of the manifestation of hereditarily induced anxiety in male C57Bl/6J and CBA/Lac mice

Behavior of male mice of C57Bl/6J and CBA/Lac strains was tested in the elevated plus-maze and open field in order to estimate state anxiety in novel conditions. The cube and partition tests were used to reveal trait anxiety in the familiar conditions of the home cage. It is concluded that genetically defined state anxiety is more pronounced in CBA/Lac mice and trait anxiety in C57Bl/6J strain.     

Effects of chronic buspirone treatment on female mice exposed to the long-lasting psychoemotional influence

The effects of chronic treatment (30 days) with the 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist buspirone (0.05, 1 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) on the behaviour of C57BL/6J female mice exposed to long-lasting psychoemotional influence were studied. The influence involved forced living of each female with an aggressive male separated with a perforated transparent partition in the same cage and daily female's presence during 10-min intermale confrontations behind a partition caused by introducing of another male to the aggressive male. Chronic buspirone injection (in all used doses) did not affect the behaviour of females estimated in the "partitions" and "open field" tests at the end of the drug treatment. The anxiolytic effect of buspirone only at the dose of 1 mg/kg on the female's plus-maze behaviour was revealed. In the Porsolt, test buspirone in the dose of 1 mg/kg caused a slight increase in the duration of immobility indicating a slight pro-depressive effect. Thus, chronic buspirone treatment of females exposed to the long-lasting psychoemotional impact has a different effect on their behaviour depending on the dose and test conditions.     

The determination of the parameters of anxiety in C57BL/6J, CBA/Lac and BALB/c mice under the influence of a serotonin C1A receptor agonist [correction of antagonist

Three strains of inbred mice, C57BL/6J (C57), CBA/Lac (CBA), and BALB/c (BALB) were examined in the elevated plus-maze after the injection of an anxiotropic drug, a 5-HT1A agonist ipsapirone (3 mg/kg; i.p.; 30 min). Treatment with ipsapirone had different anxiogenic effects on the behavior of mice in accordance with their genotype. In C57 mice the drug produced a significant decrease in the percentage of the open-arm time and the number of open-arm entries as well as in the number of full entries (when an animal was between the half and the end of an open-arm) and in the number of head dippings. Besides; the number of C57 mice which performed full entries after the ipsapirone injection decreased. In CBA mice ipsapirone reduced the number of enclosed-arm entries, the number of the passages from one enclosed arm to another and the number of head dippings. Only the number of passages dropped in BALB mice after the drug injection. Probably, just these parameters reflect anxiety in mice of the genotypes under study. It was suggested that the sensitivity of 5-HT1A receptors in C57 mice is the highest.     

Absence of anxiolytic response to chlordiazepoxide in two common background strains exposed to the elevated plus-maze: importance and implications of behavioural baseline

Although genetic background is acknowledged as a potentially important determinant of mutant phenotypes, publications on genetically modified mice far outnumber those on progenitor strains. We have recently reported major differences in basal anxiety levels (elevated plus-maze & light/dark exploration) among three strains (C57BL/6JOlaHsd, 129/SvEv and 129S2/SvHsd) employed as progenitor stock in European laboratories (Rodgers et al. in press). Furthermore, the phenotypes of these inbred strains differed significantly from that of an outbred strain (Swiss-Webster) commonly used in behavioural pharmacology. In view of these findings, the present study assessed possible differences in the anxiolytic efficacy of chlordiazepoxide (0, 7.5 & 15.0 mg/kg, IP) in three of these strains (Swiss-Webster (SW), C57BL/6JOIaHsd (C57) & 129S2/SvHsd (129)). Experimentally naive mice were exposed to the elevated plus-maze, sessions were videotaped and behaviour analysed using ethological software. The performance of control subjects confirmed significant strain differences in basal levels of activity (SW > C57 > 129) and anxiety-related behaviours (129 = SW > C57), with hypolocomotion dominating the 129 profile. SW mice displayed an anxioselective response to both doses of chlordiazepoxide (CDP), with significant reductions in open arm avoidance and risk assessment observed in the absence of any change in general activity. In direct contrast, the lower dose of CDP (7.5 mg/kg) was without effect in either inbred strain, whereas treatment with 15.0 mg/kg induced a profile indicative of muscle relaxation/mild sedation in C57 mice and virtually abolished all behavioural activity in 129 mice. Although the absence of an anxiolytic response to CDP in C57 mice may be attributed to their low basal anxiety levels, the profile of 129 mice strongly suggests an abnormality in benzodiazepine/GABAA receptor function. The implications of these findings for research on mutant mice are discussed.     

Pharmacological Alterations of Anxious Behaviour in Mice Depending on Both Strain and the Behavioural Situation

A previous study comparing non-emotive mice from the strain C57BL/6/ByJ with ABP/Le mice showed ABP/Le to be more anxious in an open-field situation. In the present study, several compounds affecting anxiety were assayed on ABP/Le and C57BL/6/ByJ mice using three behavioural models of anxiety: the elevated plus-maze, the light-dark discrimination test and the free exploratory paradigm. The compounds used were the full benzodiazepine receptor agonist, chlordiazepoxide, and the antagonist, flumazenil, the GABA_A antagonist, bicuculline, the full 5-HT_1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT, and the mixed 5-HT_1A/5-HT_1B agonist, RU 24969. Results showed the effect of the compounds to be dependent on both the strain and the behavioural task. Several compounds found to be anxiolytic in ABP/Le mice had an anxiogenic effect on C57BL/6/ByJ mice. More behavioural changes were observed for ABP/Le in the elevated plus-maze, but the clearest findings for C57BL/6/ByJ mice were observed in the light-dark discrimination apparatus. These data demonstrate that anxious behaviour is a complex phenomenon which cannot be described by a single behavioural task nor by the action of a single compound.     

不同品系小鼠对代谢性高尿酸血症造模的影响

目的：分别以昆明种小鼠及ICR、C57BL/6J小鼠为研究对象,比较在复制高尿酸血症模型时可能的小鼠品系差异,并通过降尿酸药物别嘌呤醇与非布索坦验证选择降尿酸药物筛选时选用不同品系动物造模的影响。方法：采用不同剂量次黄嘌呤腹腔注射联用尿酸酶抑制剂氧嗪酸钾皮下注射给药,测定不同造模时段各品系小鼠血清尿酸值。结果：ICR、C57BL/6J小鼠对高尿酸血症造模耐受显著高于昆明种小鼠,在腹腔注射次黄嘌呤500mg/kg,皮下注射氧嗪酸钾300mg/kg时,才可获得稳定的可用于药物筛选的高尿酸血症模型。结论：选择高尿酸血症在体模型时,昆明种小鼠灵敏度高于ICR小鼠以及近交系的C57BL/6J小鼠。     

Behavior of mice from different strains: modifications produced by noopept

Genotype-dependent behavioral effects were demonstrated in BALB/c, C57BL/6J [Russian character: see text] DBA/2J mice after injections of nootropic drug Noopept. In an elevated plus maze, drug administration induced an increase in the number of enterings into bright arms in BALB/c mice, whereas the opposite effect was observed in C57BL/6J. After the Noopept administration, animals from all the three strains increased the number of active avoidance reactions in stress-inducing slip-funnel test. A significant intensification of exploration behavior was observed in a closed plus-maze in BALB/c and C57BL/6J. The Noopept affected weakly or had no effect on the behavior of DBA/2J mice.     

The dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate influence on anxiety and depressive behaviour: participation of mu-opioid receptors

The dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) influence on anxiety and depressive behaviour was studied in animals after chronic stress exposures. It is shown that DHEAS (30 mg/kg) reduced anxiety in submission (with increased level of stress-induced anxiety resulting from chronic (20-days) defeats in aggressive interactions) of male mice of CBA/Lac strain in the "partition" test and in the plus-maze test, whereas in the control--only in the plus-maze test. DHEAS injection (30 mg/kg) in male Wistar rats decreased depressive behaviour in the Porsolt test in control and multiple (shuttling on the laboratory scrambler for 18 days by 1 hour in day) stressed animals. NaItrexone (0.25 mg/kg in mice and 0.1 mg/kg in rats) blocked anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects of DHEAS. The findings suggest that these DHEAS effects are mediated by mu-opioid receptors.     

Genotype-dependent mice behavior in cognitive tasks. Effect of noopept

The interstrain differences in performance of C57BL/6J, BALB/c and DBA/2J male mice in two cognitive tasks were found. Mice C57BL/6J showed good learning ability and preservation of memory traces tested 10 days after performance in a simplified version of Morris water maze. Mice BALB/c learned the task but, virtually, no long-term memory traces were revealed, whereas DBA/2J demonstrated poor learning. The effect of nootropic drug Noopept (GVS-111, N-phenil-acetyl-L-prolylglycin ethyl ether) was shown to be genotype-dependent. Its administration (0.5 mg/kg i.p., 15 min before learning) improved the long-term memory in Morris test in BALB/c mice but failed to produce any improvement in C57BL/6J. The ability of mice for extrapolation of the direction of stimulus movement differently changed after Noopept injections: the proportion of correct task solutions increased in C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice, whereas the performance of DBA/2J did not change.     

Density and function of central serotonin (5-HT) transporters, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, and effects of their targeting on BTBR T+tf/J mouse social behavior

BTBR mice are potentially useful tools for autism research because their behavior parallels core social interaction impairments and restricted-repetitive behaviors. Altered regulation of central serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission may underlie such behavioral deficits. To test this, we compared 5-HT transporter (SERT), 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor densities among BTBR and C57 strains. Autoradiographic [(3) H] cyanoimipramine (1 nM) binding to SERT was 20-30% lower throughout the adult BTBR brain as compared to C57BL/10J mice. In hippocampal membrane homogenates, [(3) H] citalopram maximal binding (B(max) ) to SERT was 95 ± 13 fmol/mg protein in BTBR and 171 ± 20 fmol/mg protein in C57BL/6J mice, and the BTBR dissociation constant (K(D) ) was 2.0 ± 0.3 nM versus 1.1 ± 0.2 in C57BL/6J mice. Hippocampal 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor binding was similar among strains. However, 8-OH-DPAT-stimulated [(35) S] GTPγS binding in the BTBR hippocampal CA(1) region was 28% higher, indicating elevated 5-HT(1A) capacity to activate G-proteins. In BTBR mice, the SERT blocker, fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) and the 5-HT(1A) receptor partial-agonist, buspirone (2 mg/kg) enhanced social interactions. The D(2) /5-HT(2) receptor antagonist, risperidone (0.1 mg/kg) reduced marble burying, but failed to improve sociability. Overall, altered SERT and/or 5-HT(1A) functionality in hippocampus could contribute to the relatively low sociability of BTBR mice.     

Effects of buspirone on posthypoxic ventilatory behavior in the C57BL/6J and A/J mouse strains.

Buspirone, a partial agonist of the serotonergic 5-HT1A receptor, improves breathing irregularities in humans with Rett syndrome or brain stem injury. The purpose of this study was to examine whether buspirone alters posthypoxic ventilatory behavior in C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J mouse strains. Measurements of ventilatory behavior were collected from unanesthetized adult male mice (n=6 for each strain) using the plethysmographic method. Mice were given intraperitoneal injections of vehicle or several doses of buspirone and exposed to 2 min of hypoxia (10% O2) followed by rapid reoxygenation (100% O2). Twenty minutes later, mice were tested for hypercapnic response (8% CO(2)-92% O2). On a separate day, mice were injected with the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist 4-iodo-N-{2-[4-(methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl] ethyl}-N-2-pyridinylbenzamide (p-MPPI) before the injection of buspirone, and measurements were repeated. In separate studies, arterial blood-gas analysis was performed for each strain (n=12 in B6 and 10 in A/J) with buspirone or vehicle. In both strains, buspirone stimulated ventilation at rest. In the B6 mice, the hypoxic response was unchanged, but the response to hypercapnia was reduced with buspirone (5 mg/kg; P<0.05). With reoxygenation, vehicle-treated B6 exhibited periodic breathing and greater variation in ventilation compared with A/J (P<0.01). In B6 animals, >or=3 mg/kg of buspirone reduced variation and prevented the occurrence of posthypoxic periodic breathing. Both effects were reversed by p-MPPI. Treatment effect of buspirone was not explained by a difference in resting arterial blood gases. We conclude that buspirone improves posthypoxic ventilatory irregularities in the B6 mouse through its agonist effects on the 5-HT1A receptor.     

Behavioral profiles of inbred strains on novel olfactory,spatial and emotional tests for reference memory in mice

Studying the behavior of genetic background strains provides important information for the design and interpretation of cognitive phenotypes in mutant mice. Our experiments examined the performance of three commonly used strains (C57BL/6J, 129S6, DBA/2J) on three behavioral tests for learning and memory that measure very different forms of memory, and for which there is a lack of data on strain differences. In the social transmission of food preference test (STFP) all three strains demonstrated intact memory for an odor-cued food that had been sampled on the breath of a cagemate 24 hours previously. While C57BL/6J and 129S6 mice showed good trace fear conditioning, DBA/2J mice showed a profound deficit on trace fear conditioning. In the Barnes maze test for spatial memory, the 129S6 strain showed poor probe trial performance, relative to C57BL/6J mice. Comparison of strains for open field exploratory activity and anxiety-like behavior suggests that poor Barnes maze performance reflects low exploratory behavior, rather than a true spatial memory deficit, in 129S6 mice. This interpretation is supported by good Morris water maze performance in 129S6 mice. These data support the use of a C57BL/6J background for studying memory deficits in mutant mice using any of these tasks, and the use of a 129S6 background in all but the Barnes maze. A DBA/2J background may be particularly useful for investigating the genetic basis of emotional memory using fear conditioning.     

百草枯对小鼠神经行为发育及学习记忆功能的影响

目的观察百草枯(PQ)对发育期C57BL/6J小鼠神经发育的毒性作用,并探讨百草枯对小鼠学习记忆的影响。方法 80只出生21日龄的仔鼠分为对照组(生理盐水)、1.25、2.5、5、10 mg/(kg·d)五组,灌胃染毒百草枯,每天一次,连续30 d。观察小鼠的一般生理和神经行为发育情况,并在染毒结束后进行Morris水迷宫实验和避暗实验,测试小鼠的学习记忆功能。神经行为学测试结束后取小鼠大脑,称重并进行病理检查,同时利用透射电镜观察各组小鼠中脑黑质部超微结构。结果染毒期间小鼠一般状况没有明显变化,染毒结束后各组体重没有统计学差异;在Morris水迷宫测试中,各组差异没有统计学意义,而避暗实验中与对照组相比,高剂量组的避暗潜伏期延长,差异有显著性(P<0.05);在病理切片和透射电镜观察中,在高剂量组分别观察到黑质细胞减少和神经元细胞凋亡。结论百草枯暴露对发育期小鼠成年后神经行为有影响,同时会使小鼠成年后出现脑组织的病理变化,发生器质性的病变。     

Effect of Different Gentamicin Dose on the Plasticity of the Ribbon Synapses in Cochlear Inner Hair Cells of C57BL/6J Mice

Faithful information transfer at the hair cell afferent synapse requires synaptic transmission to be both reliable and temporally precise. The release of neurotransmitter must exhibit both rapid on and off kinetics to accurately follow acoustic stimuli with a periodicity of 1?ms or less. To ensure such remarkable temporal fidelity, the cochlear hair cell afferent synapse undoubtedly relies on unique cellular and molecular specializations. To study effects of different doses of gentamicin on the changes of synaptic ribbons of cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) in mice, the availability of genetic information, transgenic and knock-out animals make the C57BL/6J mouse a primary model in biomedical research. Aminoglycoside ototoxicity, however, has rarely been studied in mature mice because they are considered highly resistant to the drugs. This study presents models for gentamicin ototoxicity in adult C57BL/6J mouse strains. Five-week-old mice were injected intraperitoneally once daily with 50?C300?mg gentamicin base/kg body weight for 7?days. Higher doses of gentamicin appear to be associated with earlier hearing damage in C57BL/6J mice, although not necessarily with more severe damage. At 200?mg/kg, gentamicin appears to induce significant hearing damage while not significantly affect the animal??s general condition. Therefore, 200?mg/kg may be an ideal dose for ototoxicity modeling in C57BL/6J mice using gentamicin. In the early period of different dose of gentamicin effect, when the number of hair cells had not changed, the number changes of IHC ribbon synapses had taken place. Through the number of ribbon synapses changing, IHCs increased or decreased connections with spiral ganglion nerves (SGNs). The ribbon synapses played a compensatory role for gentamicin ototoxicity, while this effect was not sufficient to maintain the normal threshold of hearing.     

Differences in the reactivity of 2 mouse genotypes to zoo-social signals in the partition test

The reaction was studied of male mice of CBA and C57BL/6J lines to zoosocial signals coming from another individual. "Partition" test was used, in which two males of one line were placed in a common cage divided into two sections by a transparent partition with holes; this partition divided the animals but allowed them to see and sniff each other. The number of approaches to partition, summary and average time of staying near it during one approach were recorded. Mice of both lines reacted to presence of unknown partner behind the partition by an increase of activity near the partition; in CBA mice all recorded parameters were greater than in C57BL/6J mice. A greater sensitivity is suggested of CBA animals to perception of pheromonal signals. "Partition" test may be used for estimation of mice reaction to zoosocial signals.     

Streptobacillus moniliformis epizootic in barrier-maintained C57BL/6J mice and susceptibility to infection of different strains of mice

We report a Streptobacillus moniliformis epizootic in barrier-maintained SPF mice. Although various inbred and F1 hybrid strains of mice have been kept in this animal facility, only C57BL/6J Han [corrected] mice showed clinical signs of disease. During the course of the epizootic, 825 breeding animals (approximately 36% of the breeders) died or had to be killed because of severe clinical signs. Although sequential treatment with ampicillin and chlortetracycline gave good therapeutic results, the animal facility was vacated in order to exclude any risk of cross-contamination of the other rodent colonies in our institute. The source and route of transmission of S. moniliformis could not be elucidated. To investigate strain dependent differences experimental infection of different strains of mice with our S. moniliformis isolate was performed. After oral infection only C57BL/6J showed the typical signs of a cervical lymphadenitis and gave an immunological response. BALB/cJ, C3H/He, DBA/2J, CB6F1 and B6D2F1 mice were not affected except in two cases of DBA/2J and B6D2F1 mice where seroconversion was observed. After intravenous infection of C57BL/6J, DBA/2J [corrected] and BALB/cJ all animals showed positive titers in the indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF). One hundred percent of the C57BL/6J, forty percent of the DBA/2J, and none of the BALB/cJ mice developed severe symptoms. The results demonstrate that the susceptibility to streptobacillosis is predominantly influenced by genetic factors.     

Genetic regulation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase induction by polycyclic aromatic compounds in mice. Co-segregation with aryl hydrocarbon (benzo(alpha)pyrene) hydroxylase induction.

Induction of hepatic 4-methylumbelliferone UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) by polycyclic aromatic compounds, such as 3-methylcholanthrene or beta-naphthoflavone, occurs in C57BL/6N, A/J, PL/J, C3HeB/FeJ, and BALB/cJ but not in DBA/2N, AU/SsJ, AKR/J, or RF/J inbred strains of mice. This pattern of five responsive and five nonresponsive mouse strains parallels that of the Ah locus, which controls the induction of aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[alpha]pyrene) hydroxylase (EC 1.14.14.2). Induction of the transferase is maximal in C57BL/6N mice with 200 mg of 3-methylcholanthrene/kg body weight; no induction occurs in nonresponsive DBA/2N mice even at a dose of 400 mg/kg. The rise of inducible transferase activity lags 1 or more days behind the rise of inducible hydroxylase activity and peaks 5 days after a single dose of 3-methylcholanthrene. In offspring from the appropriate backcrosses and intercross between C57BL/6N and DBA/2N parent strains, the genetic expression of 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible transferase activity is inherited as an additive (co-dominant) trait. This expression differs distinctly from that of the inducible hydroxylase activity, which is inherited almost exclusively as a single autosomal dominant trait in these same animals. The more potent inducer 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induces the transferase more than 3-fold in C57BL/6N mice and less than 2-fold in DBA/2N mice, whereas the hydroxylase is induced equally (about 8-fold) in both strains. A dose of 3-methylcholanthrene given 3 days after 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, at a time when hydroxylase induction in both strains is very high, does not enhance the rise in inducible transferase activity seen in C57BL/6N or DBA/2N mice which have received 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin alone. These data indicate that (a) the inducibility of two metabolically coordinated membrane-bound enzyme activities may be regulated by a single genetic locus, and (b) although the hydroxylase can be fully induced in the nonresponsive DBA/2N strain by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin prior to 3-methylcholanthrene treatment, metabolites of the 3-methylcholanthrene treatment, metabolites of the 3-methylcholanthrene treatment, metabolites of the 3-methylcholanthrene, presumably present in the liver, are incapable of inducing further the transferase activity. The difference in sensitivity between 3-methylcholanthrene and the more potent inducer 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin for both the hydroxylase and the transferase activities suggests the possibility of a common receptor in regulating both enzyme induction processes.     

Differential effects of pentobarbital and ethanol in mice

The duration of the loss of righting reflex (RR) after ethanol, 4 g/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.), was significantly longer in “long-sleep” (LS) than in “short-sleep” (SS) mice. This effect was shown to be correlated with differences in brain sensitivities to ethanol. In contrast, pentobarbital sodium (PB), 50 mg/kg, i.p., produced a significantly longer loss of RR in SS than in LS mice. The PB concentrations in the brain were the same in both mouse strains at the time of RR recovery suggesting equal sensitivities of the central nervous systems to PB. The rates of disappearance of PB from the blood were the same in both strains, but the apparent volume of distribution of PB in the LS strain was greater than in SS mice.In addition, C57BL/6J mice were found to be more sensitive than DBA/2J mice to PB, 50 mg/kg. In contrast, C57BL mice are known to be less sensitive than the DBA strain to ethanol. The PB concentration in the brain of DBA mice at the recovery of the RR was significantly greater than in C57BL mice. The apparent volumes of distribution of PB were not different in the two strains, but the rate of disappearance of PB from the blood of C57BL mice was significantly greater than for the DBA strain. In conclusion, factors which govern the brain sensitivities of selected mouse strains to ethanol and pentobarbital may not be equivalent.     

Effect of long-term restraint stress on behavior of female C57BL/6J and CBA/Lac inbred mice. Dispersion and cluster analysis]

An augmented exploratory behaviour and motor activity and diminished anxiety after a restraint stress were found in CBA/Lac female mice [corrected] but not in C57BL/6J ones. In the Porsolt test the result was exactly opposite. A possibility of inherent anxiety-depressive pathological condition in the C57BL/6J mice [corrected] developing under the effect of repeated psychological stress, is assumed.