Key Enzymes of the Serotonergic System - Tryptophan Hydroxylase 2 and Monoamine Oxidase A - In the Brain of Rats Selectively Bred for a Reaction toward Humans: Effects of Benzopentathiepin TC-2153.

At the Institute of Cytology and Genetics (Novosibirsk, Russia) for over 85 generations, gray rats have been selected for high aggression toward humans (aggressive rats) or its complete absence (tame rats). Aggressive rats are an interesting model for studying fear-induced aggression. Benzopentathiepin TC-2153 exerts an antiaggressive effect on aggressive rats and affects the serotonergic system: an important regulator of aggression. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of TC-2153 on key serotonergic-system enzymes - tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) - in the brain of aggressive and tame rats. Either TC-2153 (10 or 20 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered once intraperitoneally to aggressive and tame male rats. TPH2 and MAOA enzymatic activities and mRNA and protein levels were assessed. The selection for high aggression resulted in upregulation of Tph2 mRNA in the midbrain, of the TPH2 protein in the hippocampus, and of proteins TPH2 and MAOA in the hypothalamus, as compared to tame rats. MAO enzymatic activity was higher in the midbrain and hippocampus of aggressive rats while TPH2 activity did not differ between the strains. The single TC-2153 administration decreased TPH2 and MAO activity in the hypothalamus and midbrain, respectively. The drug affected MAOA protein levels in the hypothalamus: upregulated them in aggressive rats and downregulated them in tame ones. Thus, this study shows profound differences in the expression and activity of key serotonergic system enzymes in the brain of rats selectively bred for either highly aggressive behavior toward humans or its absence, and the effects of benzopentathiepin TC-2153 on these enzymes may point to mechanisms of its antiaggressive action.

A Principal Components Analysis and Functional Annotation of Differentially Expressed Genes in Brain Regions of Gray Rats Selected for Tame or Aggressive Behavior.

The process of domestication, despite its short duration as it compared with the time scale of the natural evolutionary process, has caused rapid and substantial changes in the phenotype of domestic animal species. Nonetheless, the genetic mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. The present study deals with an analysis of the transcriptomes from four brain regions of gray rats (Rattus norvegicus), serving as an experimental model object of domestication. We compared gene expression profiles in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, periaqueductal gray matter, and the midbrain tegmental region between tame domesticated and aggressive gray rats and revealed subdivisions of differentially expressed genes by principal components analysis that explain the main part of differentially gene expression variance. Functional analysis (in the DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) Bioinformatics Resources database) of the differentially expressed genes allowed us to identify and describe the key biological processes that can participate in the formation of the different behavioral patterns seen in the two groups of gray rats. Using the STRING- DB (search tool for recurring instances of neighboring genes) web service, we built a gene association network. The genes engaged in broad network interactions have been identified. Our study offers data on the genes whose expression levels change in response to artificial selection for behavior during animal domestication.

Differentially Expressed Genes and Molecular Susceptibility to Human Age-Related Diseases.

Mainstream transcriptome profiling of susceptibility versus resistance to age-related diseases (ARDs) is focused on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to gender, age, and pathogeneses. This approach fits in well with predictive, preventive, personalized, participatory medicine and helps understand how, why, when, and what ARDs one can develop depending on their genetic background. Within this mainstream paradigm, we wanted to find out whether the known ARD-linked DEGs available in PubMed can reveal a molecular marker that will serve the purpose in anyone's any tissue at any time. We sequenced the periaqueductal gray (PAG) transcriptome of tame versus aggressive rats, identified rat-behavior-related DEGs, and compared them with their known homologous animal ARD-linked DEGs. This analysis yielded statistically significant correlations between behavior-related and ARD-susceptibility-related fold changes (log2 values) in the expression of these DEG homologs. We found principal components, PC1 and PC2, corresponding to the half-sum and the half-difference of these log2 values, respectively. With the DEGs linked to ARD susceptibility and ARD resistance in humans used as controls, we verified these principal components. This yielded only one statistically significant common molecular marker for ARDs: an excess of Fcγ receptor IIb suppressing immune cell hyperactivation.

On Associations between Fear-Induced Aggression, Bdnf Transcripts, and Serotonin Receptors in the Brains of Norway Rats: An Influence of Antiaggressive Drug TC-2153.

The Bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene contains eight regulatory exons (I-VIII) alternatively spliced to the protein-coding exon IX. Only exons I, II, IV, and VI are relatively well studied. The BDNF system and brain serotonergic system are tightly interconnected and associated with aggression. The benzopentathiepine TC-2153 affects both systems and exerts antiaggressive action. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of TC-2153 on the Bdnf exons I-IX's expressions and serotonin receptors' mRNA levels in the brain of rats featuring high aggression toward humans (aggressive) or its absence (tame). Aggressive and tame adult male rats were treated once with vehicle or 10 or 20 mg/kg of TC-2153. mRNA was quantified in the cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and midbrain with real-time PCR. Selective breeding for high aggression or its absence affected the serotonin receptors' and Bdnf exons' transcripts differentially, depending on the genotype (strain) and brain region. TC-2153 had comprehensive effects on the Bdnf exons' expressions. The main trend was downregulation in the hypothalamus and midbrain. TC-2153 increased 5-HT1B receptor hypothalamusc mRNA expression. For the first time, an influence of TC-2153 on the expressions of Bdnf regulatory exons and the 5-HT1B receptor was shown, as was an association between Bdnf regulatory exons and fear-induced aggression involving genetic predisposition.

Transcription Factors as Important Regulators of Changes in Behavior through Domestication of Gray Rats: Quantitative Data from RNA Sequencing.

Studies on hereditary fixation of the tame-behavior phenotype during animal domestication remain relevant and important because they are of both basic research and applied significance. In model animals, gray rats Rattus norvegicus bred for either an enhancement or reduction in defensive response to humans, for the first time, we used high-throughput RNA sequencing to investigate differential expression of genes in tissue samples from the tegmental region of the midbrain in 2-month-old rats showing either tame or aggressive behavior. A total of 42 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; adjusted p-value < 0.01 and fold-change > 2) were identified, with 20 upregulated and 22 downregulated genes in the tissue samples from tame rats compared with aggressive rats. Among them, three genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) were detected: Ascl3 was upregulated, whereas Fos and Fosb were downregulated in tissue samples from the brains of tame rats brain. Other DEGs were annotated as associated with extracellular matrix components, transporter proteins, the neurotransmitter system, signaling molecules, and immune system proteins. We believe that these DEGs encode proteins that constitute a multifactorial system determining the behavior for which the rats have been artificially selected. We demonstrated that several structural subtypes of E-box motifs­known as binding sites for many developmental TFs of the bHLH class, including the ASCL subfamily of TFs­are enriched in the set of promoters of the DEGs downregulated in the tissue samples of tame rats'. Because ASCL3 may act as a repressor on target genes of other developmental TFs of the bHLH class, we hypothesize that the expression of TF gene Ascl3 in tame rats indicates longer neurogenesis (as compared to aggressive rats), which is a sign of neoteny and domestication. Thus, our domestication model shows a new function of TF ASCL3: it may play the most important role in behavioral changes in animals.

Stress Reactivity, Susceptibility to Hypertension, and Differential Expression of Genes in Hypertensive Compared to Normotensive Patients.

Although half of hypertensive patients have hypertensive parents, known hypertension-related human loci identified by genome-wide analysis explain only 3% of hypertension heredity. Therefore, mainstream transcriptome profiling of hypertensive subjects addresses differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to gender, age, and comorbidities in accordance with predictive preventive personalized participatory medicine treating patients according to their symptoms, individual lifestyle, and genetic background. Within this mainstream paradigm, here, we determined whether, among the known hypertension-related DEGs that we could find, there is any genome-wide hypertension theranostic molecular marker applicable to everyone, everywhere, anytime. Therefore, we sequenced the hippocampal transcriptome of tame and aggressive rats, corresponding to low and high stress reactivity, an increase of which raises hypertensive risk; we identified stress-reactivity-related rat DEGs and compared them with their known homologous hypertension-related animal DEGs. This yielded significant correlations between stress reactivity-related and hypertension-related fold changes (log2 values) of these DEG homologs. We found principal components, PC1 and PC2, corresponding to a half-difference and half-sum of these log2 values. Using the DEGs of hypertensive versus normotensive patients (as the control), we verified the correlations and principal components. This analysis highlighted downregulation of ß-protocadherins and hemoglobin as whole-genome hypertension theranostic molecular markers associated with a wide vascular inner diameter and low blood viscosity, respectively.

On an association between fear-induced aggression and striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) in the brain of Norway rats.

Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is a signal transduction protein involved in the pathogenesis of neuropathologies. A STEP inhibitor (TC-2153) has antipsychotic and antidepressant effects. Here, we evaluated the role of STEP in fear-induced aggression using Norway rats selectively bred for 90 generations for either high aggression toward humans (aggressive rats) or its absence (tame rats). We studied the effects of acute administration of TC-2153 on behavior and STEP expression in the brain of these animals and the influence of chronic treatment with TC-2153 on the behavior and STEP expression in aggressive rats in comparison with classic antidepressant fluoxetine, which is known to exert antiaggressive action. Acute TC-2153 administration decreased the aggressive reaction to humans in aggressive rats, while having no impact on the friendly behavior of tame rats. Moreover, in the elevated plus-maze test, the drug had an anxiolytic effect on both aggressive and tame rats. Aggressive rats demonstrated elevated levels of a STEP isoform (STEP46) as compared to tame animals, whereas acute TC-2153 administration significantly reduced STEP46 protein concentration in the brain of aggressive rats. Chronic treatment of aggressive rats with either TC-2153 or fluoxetine attenuated fear-induced aggression. Chronic administration of fluoxetine enhanced the exploratory activity in the elevated plus-maze test and decreased the STEP46 protein level in aggressive rats' hippocampus, whereas chronic TC-2153 administration did not affect these parameters. Thus, STEP46 can play an important role in the mechanisms of aggression and may mediate antiaggressive effects of TC-2153 and fluoxetine.

Domestication Explains Two-Thirds of Differential-Gene-Expression Variance between Domestic and Wild Animals; The Remaining One-Third Reflects Intraspecific and Interspecific Variation.

Belyaev's concept of destabilizing selection during domestication was a major achievement in the XX century. Its practical value has been realized in commercial colors of the domesticated fox that never occur in the wild and has been confirmed in a wide variety of pet breeds. Many human disease models involving animals allow to test drugs before human testing. Perhaps this is why investigators doing transcriptomic profiling of domestic versus wild animals have searched for breed-specific patterns. Here we sequenced hypothalamic transcriptomes of tame and aggressive rats, identified their differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and, for the first time, applied principal component analysis to compare them with all the known DEGs of domestic versus wild animals that we could find. Two principal components, PC1 and PC2, respectively explained 67% and 33% of differential-gene-expression variance (hereinafter: log2 value) between domestic and wild animals. PC1 corresponded to multiple orthologous DEGs supported by homologs; these DEGs kept the log2 value sign from species to species and from tissue to tissue (i.e., a common domestication pattern). PC2 represented stand-alone homologous DEG pairs reversing the log2 value sign from one species to another and from tissue to tissue (i.e., representing intraspecific and interspecific variation).

Bayesian localization of CNV candidates in WGS data within minutes.

BACKGROUND: Full Bayesian inference for detecting copy number variants (CNV) from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data is still largely infeasible due to computational demands. A recently introduced approach to perform Forward-Backward Gibbs sampling using dynamic Haar wavelet compression has alleviated issues of convergence and, to some extent, speed. Yet, the problem remains challenging in practice. RESULTS: In this paper, we propose an improved algorithmic framework for this approach. We provide new space-efficient data structures to query sufficient statistics in logarithmic time, based on a linear-time, in-place transform of the data, which also improves on the compression ratio. We also propose a new approach to efficiently store and update marginal state counts obtained from the Gibbs sampler. CONCLUSIONS: Using this approach, we discover several CNV candidates in two rat populations divergently selected for tame and aggressive behavior, consistent with earlier results concerning the domestication syndrome as well as experimental observations. Computationally, we observe a 29.5-fold decrease in memory, an average 5.8-fold speedup, as well as a 191-fold decrease in minor page faults. We also observe that metrics varied greatly in the old implementation, but not the new one. We conjecture that this is due to the better compression scheme. The fully Bayesian segmentation of the entire WGS data set required 3.5 min and 1.24 GB of memory, and can hence be performed on a commodity laptop.

Aggressive behavior and stress response after oxytocin administration in male Norway rats selected for different attitudes to humans.

Oxytocin (OXT) is known to influence on social behaviors, including intermale aggression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. However, there are no data on the effects of oxytocin on intermale aggression and HPA axis activity in rats selected for elimination and enhancement of aggressiveness towards humans. The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of oxytocin in expression of aggressive behavior and stress response in Norway rats selected for elimination (tame) and enhancement (aggressive) of an aggressive-defensive reaction to humans. Oxytocin was administered to males via nasal applications once or for 5 days (daily). Resident-intruder test showed that in aggressive males, single oxytocin administration caused an increase in the latent period of aggressive interactions and a decrease in the percentage of direct aggression time (not including the time of lateral threat postures) as compared to the control aggressive rats administered with saline. After a 5-day oxytocin administration, aggressive animals demonstrated shorter time of aggressive interactions compared to the control rats. Resident-intruder test revealed no significant changes in behavior of tame rats after single oxytocin administration, while multiple administration caused an increase in aggressive behavior in tame rats. Oxytocin applications caused an elevation of corticosterone level after restriction in aggressive males, but did not affect expression of Crh, Crh1 and Crhr2 genes in hypothalamus in either tame or aggressive rats. The data obtained indicate significant role of oxytocinergic system in the behavior formed in the process of selection by reaction to humans.

A Rat Model of Human Behavior Provides Evidence of Natural Selection Against Underexpression of Aggressiveness-Related Genes in Humans.

Aggressiveness is a hereditary behavioral pattern that forms a social hierarchy and affects the individual social rank and accordingly quality and duration of life. Thus, genome-wide studies of human aggressiveness are important. Nonetheless, the aggressiveness-related genome-wide studies have been conducted on animals rather than humans. Recently, in our genome-wide study, we uncovered natural selection against underexpression of human aggressiveness-related genes and proved it using F1 hybrid mice. Simultaneously, this natural selection equally supports two opposing traits in humans (dominance and subordination) as if self-domestication could have happened with its disruptive natural selection. Because there is still not enough scientific evidence that this could happen, here, we verified this natural selection pattern using quantitative PCR and two outbred rat lines (70 generations of artificial selection for aggressiveness or tameness, hereinafter: domestication). We chose seven genes-Cacna2d3, Gad2, Gria2, Mapk1, Nos1, Pomc, and Syn1-over- or underexpression of which corresponds to aggressive or domesticated behavior (in humans or mice) that has the same direction as natural selection. Comparing aggressive male rats with domesticated ones, we found that these genes are overexpressed statistically significantly in the hypothalamus (as a universal behavior regulator), not in the periaqueductal gray, where there was no aggressiveness-related expression of the genes in males. Database STRING showed statistically significant associations of the human genes homologous to these rat genes with long-term depression, circadian entrainment, Alzheimer's disease, and the central nervous system disorders during chronic IL-6 overexpression. This finding more likely supports positive perspectives of further studies on self-domestication syndromes.

Cytokine variations within brain structures in rats selected for differences in aggression.

The present study examined the content of cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10) in the brain structures (the hypothalamus, striatum, frontal cortex, and hippocampus) in two rat lines selected for differences in fear-induced aggression at 2, 4, and 24 h after a peripheral injection of saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 250 µg/kg). LPS stimulation elevated cytokine activity above baseline levels in both aggressive and nonaggressive rats, but the pattern, time course of cytokine changes, and their regional characteristics varied according to the animal aggressiveness. After LPS administration, aggressive rats showed increased levels of IL-1ß in the hypothalamus at 2 and 4 h and in the frontal cortex at 4 and 24 h compared to LPS-treated nonaggressive line. IL-2 was increased in the frontal cortex and striatum of aggressive rats within 24 h, while IL-6 elevation in the hypothalamus was found at 4 h and in the frontal cortex at 2 and 4 h. In the hippocampus, the levels of IL-1ß, IL-2, and IL-6 were lower in LPS-treated aggressive rats than in nonaggressive animals. The levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were also decreased in all brain structures of aggressive rats receiving LPS. The results indicate that genetic predisposition to increased aggression is associated with a time and region-dependent changes in the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Genetically defined fear-induced aggression: Focus on BDNF and its receptors.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), its precursor proBDNF, BDNF pro-peptide, BDNF mRNA levels, as well as TrkB and p75NTR receptors mRNA and protein levels, were studied in the brain of rats, selectively bred for more than 85 generations for either the high level or the lack of fear-induced aggressive behavior. Furthermore, we have found that rats of aggressive strain demonstrated both high level of aggression toward humans and increased amplitude of acoustic startle response compared to rats selectively bred for the lack of fear-induced aggression. Significant increase in the BDNF mRNA, mature BDNF and proBDNF protein levels in the raphe nuclei (RN), hippocampus (Hc), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), amygdala, striatum and hypothalamus (Ht) of aggressive rats was revealed. The BDNF/proBDNF ratio was significantly reduced in the Hc and NAcc of highly aggressive rats suggesting prevalence of the proBDNF in these structures. In the Hc and frontal cortex (FC) of aggressive rats, the level of the full-length TrkB (TrkB-FL) receptor form was decreased, whereas the truncated TrkB (TrkB-T) protein level was increased in the RN, FC, substantia nigra and Ht. The TrkB-FL/TrkB-T ratio was significantly decreased in highly aggressive rats suggesting TrkB-T is predominant in highly aggressive rats. The p75NTR expression was slightly changed in majority of studied brain structures of aggressive rats. The data indicate the BDNF system in the brain of aggressive and nonaggressive animals is extremely different at all levels, from transcription to reception, suggesting significant role of BDNF system in the development of highly aggressive phenotype.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in genetically defined fear-induced aggression.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) plays an important role in maintenance of neuronal system throughout life. However, there is a lack of data on the involvement of GDNF in the regulation of different kinds of behavior. In this study, GDNF, its precursor (proGDNF) and GDNF mRNA levels were investigated in the brain of rats selectively bred for 85 generations for either high level or for the lack of affective aggressiveness toward human. It was found that GDNF mRNA level was decreased in the frontal cortex, increased in the raphe nuclei area of the midbrain of aggressive rats compared to tame animals and was not detected in the amygdala and hypothalamus. The level of proGDNF was reduced in the raphe nuclei area of the midbrain of highly aggressive rats and was not detected in the striatum, nucleus accumbens of investigated animals. Two forms of mature GDNF - monomer and dimer - were revealed. GDNF monomer level was increased in the raphe nuclei area, substantia nigra and amygdala of aggressive rats and it was not found in the frontal cortex and nucleus accumbens of investigated rats. Dimer GDNF level was found in all investigated brain structures. It was reduced in the hippocampus and increased in amygdala of highly aggressive rats. Thus, considerable structure-specific differences in GDNF expression between highly aggressive and nonaggressive rats were shown. The data suggested the implication of both mature GDNF monomer and dimer as well as proGDNF in the mechanism underlying genetically defined aggressiveness.

5-HT1A receptor gene silencers Freud-1 and Freud-2 are differently expressed in the brain of rats with genetically determined high level of fear-induced aggression or its absence.

Serotonin 5-HT1A receptor is known to play a crucial role in the mechanisms of genetically defined aggression. In its turn, 5-HT1A receptor functional state is under control of multiple factors. Among others, transcriptional factors Freud-1 and Freud-2 are known to be involved in the repression of 5-HT1A receptor gene expression. However, implication of these factors in the regulation of behavior is unclear. Here, we investigated the expression of 5-HT1A receptor and silencers Freud-1 and Freud-2 in the brain of rats selectively bred for 85 generations for either high level of fear-induced aggression or its absence. It was shown that Freud-1 and Freud-2 levels were different in aggressive and nonaggressive animals. Freud-1 protein level was decreased in the hippocampus, whereas Freud-2 protein level was increased in the frontal cortex of highly aggressive rats. There no differences in 5-HT1A receptor gene expression were found in the brains of highly aggressive and nonaggressive rats. However, 5-HT1A receptor protein level was decreased in the midbrain and increased in the hippocampus of highly aggressive rats. These data showed the involvement of Freud-1 and Freud-2 in the regulation of genetically defined fear-induced aggression. However, these silencers do not affect transcription of the 5-HT1A receptor gene in the investigated rats. Our data indicate the implication of posttranscriptional rather than transcriptional regulation of 5-HT1A receptor functional state in the mechanisms of genetically determined aggressive behavior. On the other hand, the implication of other transcriptional regulators for 5-HT1A receptor gene in the mechanisms of genetically defined aggression could be suggested.

Immune reactivity in rats selected for the enhancement or elimination of aggressiveness towards humans.

This study analyzes immune reactivity in two lines of rats selected for the enhancement or elimination of aggressiveness toward humans. Compared to nonaggressive line, aggressive rats showed increased blood ratio of CD4(+) and CD8(+)T lymphocytes, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 level both before and after immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), enhanced IgM-immune response, as well as decreased level of interleukin (IL)-1α before immunization. However, antigen administration produced IL-1α increase in aggressive rats and its decrease in nonaggressive rats compared to non-immunized rats of the same lines. In addition, line-dependent alterations of T lymphocyte distribution in response to immune activation have been found only in the spleen. It is suggested that genetic differences in aggressive behavior may contribute to differences in immune function.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor (proBDNF) in genetically defined fear-induced aggression.

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), its precursor (proBDNF) and BDNF mRNA levels were studied in the brain of wild rats selectively bred for more than 70 generations for either high level or for the lack of affective aggressiveness towards man. Significant increase of BDNF mRNA level in the frontal cortex and increase of BDNF level in the hippocampus of aggressive rats was revealed. In the midbrain and hippocampus of aggressive rats proBDNF level was increased, whereas BDNF/proBDNF ratio was reduced suggesting the prevalence and increased influence of proBDNF in highly aggressive rats. In the frontal cortex, proBDNF level in aggressive rats was decreased. Thus, considerable structure-specific differences in BDNF and proBDNF levels as well as in BDNF gene expression between highly aggressive and nonaggressive rats were shown. The data suggested the implication of BDNF and its precursor proBDNF in the mechanism of aggressiveness and in the creation of either aggressive or nonaggressive phenotype.

Genetic influences on brain gene expression in rats selected for tameness and aggression.

Interindividual differences in many behaviors are partly due to genetic differences, but the identification of the genes and variants that influence behavior remains challenging. Here, we studied an F2 intercross of two outbred lines of rats selected for tame and aggressive behavior toward humans for >64 generations. By using a mapping approach that is able to identify genetic loci segregating within the lines, we identified four times more loci influencing tameness and aggression than by an approach that assumes fixation of causative alleles, suggesting that many causative loci were not driven to fixation by the selection. We used RNA sequencing in 150 F2 animals to identify hundreds of loci that influence brain gene expression. Several of these loci colocalize with tameness loci and may reflect the same genetic variants. Through analyses of correlations between allele effects on behavior and gene expression, differential expression between the tame and aggressive rat selection lines, and correlations between gene expression and tameness in F2 animals, we identify the genes Gltscr2, Lgi4, Zfp40, and Slc17a7 as candidate contributors to the strikingly different behavior of the tame and aggressive animals.

Serotonin 5-HT1A receptor in infancy-onset aggression: comparison with genetically defined aggression in adult rats.

Antisocial aggressive behavior in adolescents represents growing clinical and social problem. Previously the implication of 5-HT1A receptor in the regulation of fear-induced aggression was shown. Here, the involvement of 5-HT1A receptor in infancy-onset genetically defined aggression was studied on Norway rats selectively bred for high level or for the lack of aggression toward man. The aggressive behavior and the expression of 5-HT1A receptor gene, 5-HT1A receptor density and functional activity were determined in infant (15-day-old) and adult rats. Considerable differences in aggressive response to man between infant rats of aggressive (A) and nonaggressive (NA) strains were found. In contrast to infant NA rats, A infants elicited marked aggressive response to handling, although its expression was less than in adult A rats. 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.2 and 0.5mg/kg) decreased aggressive behavior in both A infant and adult rats. The desensitization of 5-HT1A receptors in the brain of A infant and adult rats was revealed. In contrast to decreased 5-HT1A gene expression in the midbrain of A adult rats, the 5-HT1A gene expression in the midbrain of infant rats did not differ between A and NA strains. There was no difference in 5-HT1A receptor density in infant rats. The data showed (1) the implication of 5-HT1A receptor in genetically defined infancy-onset fear-induced aggression, (2) the desensitization of 5-HT1A receptors as essential factor in infancy-onset aggression, and (3) the increased complexity of 5-HT-ergic control of aggressive behavior in adult rats with the involvement of 5-HT1A gene and the density of 5-HT1A receptors.

Genetic architecture of tameness in a rat model of animal domestication.

A common feature of domestic animals is tameness-i.e., they tolerate and are unafraid of human presence and handling. To gain insight into the genetic basis of tameness and aggression, we studied an intercross between two lines of rats (Rattus norvegicus) selected over >60 generations for increased tameness and increased aggression against humans, respectively. We measured 45 traits, including tameness and aggression, anxiety-related traits, organ weights, and levels of serum components in >700 rats from an intercross population. Using 201 genetic markers, we identified two significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for tameness. These loci overlap with QTL for adrenal gland weight and for anxiety-related traits and are part of a five-locus epistatic network influencing tameness. An additional QTL influences the occurrence of white coat spots, but shows no significant effect on tameness. The loci described here are important starting points for finding the genes that cause tameness in these rats and potentially in domestic animals in general.