Mice lacking galectin-3 (Lgals3) function have decreased home cage movement

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Galectins are proteins involved in carbohydrate recognition, essential for biological processes like CNS development and immune responses.
• Galectin-3 (Lgals3) plays a role in various biological functions, but its specific impact on behavior is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the home cage behavioral phenotype of mice lacking functional galectin-3 (Lgals3).
• To assess the effects of Lgals3 deficiency on feeding, drinking, and movement patterns in mice.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a sophisticated monitoring apparatus for high-resolution (millisecond temporal, 0.5 cm spatial) tracking of mouse behavior.
• Observed daily behavioral patterns of wildtype and Lgals3 constitutive knockout (Lgals3-/-) mice at two age groups (2-3 months and 6-7 months).
• Analyzed movement, feeding, and drinking behaviors, including circadian rhythmicity using Lomb-Scargle analysis.

Main Results:

• Lgals3-/- mice exhibited significantly reduced overall movement, including forward locomotion and movement-in-place, at both ages.
• Decreased movement in Lgals3-/- mice was attributed to fewer bouts, lower initiation rates, and shorter bout durations.
• Perturbed behavioral circadian rhythms were observed in Lgals3-/- mice, characterized by increased day-to-day variability in feeding, drinking, and movement compared to wildtype controls.

Conclusions:

• Galectin-3 (Lgals3) appears essential for the normal development and function of central nervous system (CNS) structures regulating locomotor behavior.
• The carbohydrate recognition functions of Lgals3 may be critical for establishing and maintaining appropriate behavioral patterns and circadian rhythms.