Morc1 knockout evokes a depression-like phenotype in mice
Morc1 gene has recently been identified by a DNA methylation and genome-wide association study as a candidate gene for major depressive disorder related to early life stress in rodents, primates and humans. So far, no transgenic animal model has been established to validate these findings on a behav...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2016
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| In: |
Behavioural brain research
Year: 2015, Volume: 296, Pages: 7-14 |
| ISSN: | 1872-7549 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.005 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.005 Verlag, Volltext: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432815301388 
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| Author Notes: | M. Schmidt, C. Brandwein, A. Luoni, P. Sandrini, T. Calzoni, M. Deuschle, F. Cirulli, M.A. Riva, P. Gass |
| Summary: | Morc1 gene has recently been identified by a DNA methylation and genome-wide association study as a candidate gene for major depressive disorder related to early life stress in rodents, primates and humans. So far, no transgenic animal model has been established to validate these findings on a behavioral level. In the present study, we examined the effects of a Morc1 loss of function mutation in female C57BL/6N mice on behavioral correlates of mood disorders like the Forced Swim Test, the Learned Helplessness Paradigm, O-Maze and Dark-Light-Box. We could show that Morc1-/- mice display increased depressive-like behavior whereas no behavioral abnormalities regarding locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior were detectable. CORT plasma levels did not differ significantly between Morc1-/- mice and their wildtype littermates, yet - surprisingly - total Bdnf mRNA-levels in the hippocampus were up-regulated in Morc1-/- animals. Although further work would be clarifying, Morc1-/- mice seem to be a promising epigenetically validated mouse model for depression associated with early life stress. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 17.01.2019 Available online 11 August 2015 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1872-7549 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.005 |