Effect of fascin loss on animal behavior using a knockout mouse model

Fascin 1 is an actin-bundling protein with limited expression in normal tissues, such as the brain and spleen. Fascin knockout mice exhibit enlarged lateral ventricles and impaired neuronal extension in the posterior region of the anterior commissure. Despite these observations, the effect of fascin loss on animal behavior and cognitive function has not been previously assessed. In the present study, fascin knockout (fascin^-/-) and wild-type (fascin^+/+) female mice were compared on a number of standard behavioral tests, including open-field, object recognition, elevated plus maze, light-dark transition, sociability, and Morris water maze tests. Fascin^-/- mice exhibited reduced locomotor activity during the open-field test and spent more time in the dark zone during the light-dark transition tests. Furthermore, fascin^-/- mice showed comparable social interactions and exhibited altered early exploratory behavior during Morris water maze tests. This study concluded that whole-body fascin loss modestly affects animal behavior, particularly locomotor and exploratory activities. The whole-body knockout experimental findings highlight the regulatory role of fascin on these behavioral domains and emphasize the importance of considering these effects in future studies using this animal model.