Brain CRF-binding protein modulates aspects of maternal behavior under stressful conditions and supports a hypo-anxious state in lactating rats |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;2. Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA;3. Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA;1. Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;2. Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;3. Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;1. School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea;2. Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon 305-348, Republic of Korea;3. LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, UPMC Univ. Paris 6, Univ. Paris-Diderot, Meudon 92195, France;4. Gemini Observatory, 670N. A''ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USA;1. Institute of Precambrian Geology and Geochronology, nab. Makarova 2, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia;2. St. Petersburg State University, Institute of Earth Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia;3. A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute, Srednii prosp. 74, St. Petersburg, 199106, Russia;4. Department of Geology, Catoca Geological-Mining Community, Luanda, Republic of Angola |
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| Abstract: | Reduced corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor activation in the postpartum period is essential for adequate maternal behavior. One of the factors contributing to this hypo-activity might be the CRF-binding protein (CRF-BP), which likely reduces the availability of free extracellular CRF/urocortin 1. Here, we investigated behavioral effects of acute CRF-BP inhibition using 5 μg of CRF(6-33) administered either centrally or locally within different parts of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in lactating rats. Additionally, we assessed CRF-BP expression in the BNST comparing virgin and lactating rats.Central CRF-BP inhibition increased maternal aggression during maternal defense but did not affect maternal care or anxiety-related behavior. CRF-BP inhibition in the medial-posterior BNST had no effect on maternal care under non-stress conditions but impaired the reinstatement of maternal care following stressor exposure. Furthermore, maternal aggression, particularly threat behavior, and anxiety-related behavior were elevated by CRF-BP inhibition in the medial-posterior BNST. In the anterior–dorsal BNST, CRF-BP inhibition increased only non-maternal behaviors following stress. Finally, CRF-BP expression was higher in the anterior compared to the posterior BNST but was not different between virgin and lactating rats in either region.Our study demonstrates a key role of the CRF-BP, particularly within the BNST, in modulating CRF's impact on maternal behavior. The CRF-BP is important for the reinstatement of maternal care after stress, for modulating threat behavior during an aggressive encounter and for maintaining a hypo-anxious state during lactation. Thus, the CRF-BP likely contributes to the postpartum-associated down-regulation of the CRF system in a brain region-dependent manner. |
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