TY - JOUR
T1 - Aberrant nest building and prolactin secretion in vitamin D receptor mutant mice
AU - Keisala, Tiina
AU - Minasyan, Anna
AU - Järvelin, Ulla
AU - Wang, Jinghuan
AU - Hämäläinen, Tuula
AU - Kalueff, Allan V.
AU - Tuohimaa, Pentti
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - 1α,25(OH)2D3, the hormonal form of vitamin D, is a neuroactive seco-steroid hormone with multiple functions in the brain. Most of these effects are mediated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR), widely distributed in the central nervous system. Our earlier studies showed that mutant mice lacking functional VDR have specific behavioural abnormalities, including anxiety and aberrant maternal behaviour, which may be hormonally regulated. Here we describe impaired nest building behaviour in VDR mutant mice. Since prolactin plays a key role in the regulation of nest building in both sexes, we also examine whether VDR mutant mice have altered prolactin levels. Overall, serum prolactin levels were increased in VDR mutant mice, accompanied by marked impairments in their nest building activity. In contrast, there were no differences in prolactin mRNA expression levels between wildtype control mice and VDR mutant mice. Collectively, these data suggest that partial genetic ablation of VDR affects prolactin system in mice, and that altered serum prolactin levels in VDR mutants may underlie some of their behavioural abnormalities, such as impaired nest building.
AB - 1α,25(OH)2D3, the hormonal form of vitamin D, is a neuroactive seco-steroid hormone with multiple functions in the brain. Most of these effects are mediated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR), widely distributed in the central nervous system. Our earlier studies showed that mutant mice lacking functional VDR have specific behavioural abnormalities, including anxiety and aberrant maternal behaviour, which may be hormonally regulated. Here we describe impaired nest building behaviour in VDR mutant mice. Since prolactin plays a key role in the regulation of nest building in both sexes, we also examine whether VDR mutant mice have altered prolactin levels. Overall, serum prolactin levels were increased in VDR mutant mice, accompanied by marked impairments in their nest building activity. In contrast, there were no differences in prolactin mRNA expression levels between wildtype control mice and VDR mutant mice. Collectively, these data suggest that partial genetic ablation of VDR affects prolactin system in mice, and that altered serum prolactin levels in VDR mutants may underlie some of their behavioural abnormalities, such as impaired nest building.
KW - Mutant mice
KW - Nest building behaviour
KW - Prolactin
KW - Vitamin D receptor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34250008737&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2007.03.031
DO - 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2007.03.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 17467982
AN - SCOPUS:34250008737
SN - 0960-0760
VL - 104
SP - 269
EP - 273
JO - Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
JF - Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
IS - 3-5
ER -