The emerging complexity of molecular pathways implicated in mouse self-grooming behavior

Aleksey N Ikrin; Anastasia M Moskalenko; Radmir R Mukhamadeev; Murilo S de Abreu; Tatiana O Kolesnikova; Allan V Kalueff

doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110840

The emerging complexity of molecular pathways implicated in mouse self-grooming behavior

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Dec 20:127:110840. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110840. Epub 2023 Aug 12.

Authors

Aleksey N Ikrin¹, Anastasia M Moskalenko¹, Radmir R Mukhamadeev², Murilo S de Abreu³, Tatiana O Kolesnikova⁴, Allan V Kalueff⁵

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Program in Genetics and Genetic Technologies, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia; Neuroscience Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia.
² Graduate Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia; Neuroscience Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia.
³ Moscow Institute of Science and Technology, Dolgoprudny 197028, Russia. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Neuroscience Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia.
⁵ Neuroscience Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg 194021, Russia; Laboratory of Preclinical Bioscreening, Granov Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Pesochny 197758, Russia; Neuroscience Group, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia; Laboratory of Translational Biopsychiatry, Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk 630117, Russia. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 37580009
DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110840

Abstract

Rodent self-grooming is an important complex behavior, and its deficits are translationally relevant to a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we analyzed a comprehensive dataset of 227 genes whose mutations are known to evoke aberrant self-grooming in mice. Using these genes, we constructed the network of their established protein-protein interactions (PPI), yielding several distinct molecular clusters related to postsynaptic density, the Wnt signaling, transcription factors, neuronal cell cycle, NOS neurotransmission, microtubule regulation, neuronal differentiation/trafficking, neurodevelopment and mitochondrial function. Utilizing further bioinformatics analyses, we also identified novel central ('hub') proteins within these clusters, whose genes may also be implicated in aberrant self-grooming and other repetitive behaviors in general. Untangling complex molecular pathways of this important behavior using in silico approaches contributes to our understanding of related neurological disorders, and may suggest novel potential targets for their pharmacological or gene therapy.

Keywords: Genes; Genetic bases; Grooming; In silico modeling; Molecular network; Self-grooming.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Grooming / physiology
Mice
Neurons*