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Maternal aggression in endothelial nitric oxide synthase-deficient mice
S C Gammie1, P L Huang, R J Nelson
1Department of Psychology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA. sgammie@jhu.edu
Hormones and Behavior
|August 5, 2000
Summary
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) does not appear to influence maternal aggression in female rodents. However, nitric oxide (NO) produced by eNOS plays a distinct role in male aggression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Lactating rodents display maternal aggression to protect pups.
- Nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is crucial for maternal aggression.
- NO synthesized by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) appears to facilitate male aggression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of eNOS in maternal aggression.
- To determine if eNOS-derived NO influences maternal defensive behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Maternal aggression tests were conducted on eNOS knockout (eNOS-/-) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates.
- Pup retrieval behavior was assessed in eNOS-/- females.
- Citrulline immunoreactivity, an indirect marker of NO synthesis, was measured in hypothalamic regions of eNOS-/- mice.
Main Results:
- eNOS-/- mice exhibited normal maternal aggression compared to WT mice.
- Pup retrieval behavior was unaffected in eNOS-/- females.
- Aggressive eNOS-/- females showed increased citrulline levels in the medial preoptic nucleus and subparaventricular zone.
Conclusions:
- NO produced by eNOS does not facilitate or inhibit maternal aggression.
- eNOS plays a differential role in maternal versus male aggression.