Title: | Conditional deletion of ERK5 MAP kinase in the nervous system impairs pheromone information processing and pheromone-evoked behaviors |
Address: | "Toxicology Program in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America" |
DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0076901 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "ERK5 MAP kinase is highly expressed in the developing nervous system but absent in most regions of the adult brain. It has been implicated in regulating the development of the main olfactory bulb and in odor discrimination. However, whether it plays an essential role in pheromone-based behavior has not been established. Here we report that conditional deletion of the Mapk7 gene which encodes ERK5 in mice in neural stem cells impairs several pheromone-mediated behaviors including aggression and mating in male mice. These deficits were not caused by a reduction in the level of testosterone, by physical immobility, by heightened fear or anxiety, or by depression. Using mouse urine as a natural pheromone-containing solution, we provide evidence that the behavior impairment was associated with defects in the detection of closely related pheromones as well as with changes in their innate preference for pheromones related to sexual and reproductive activities. We conclude that expression of ERK5 during development is critical for pheromone response and associated animal behavior in adult mice" |
Keywords: | "Aggression/drug effects Animals Behavior, Animal/*drug effects Female *Gene Deletion Gene Knockout Techniques Male Mice Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 7/*deficiency/*genetics Nervous System/*enzymology/growth & development Neural Stem Cells/enzymology O;" |
Notes: | "MedlineZou, Junhui Storm, Daniel R Xia, Zhengui eng P30 HD002274/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ P30 HD02274/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ R01 MH95840/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/ R01 DC004156/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01 MH095840/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural 2013/10/17 PLoS One. 2013 Oct 9; 8(10):e76901. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076901. eCollection 2013" |