Oxytocin gives the tempo of feeding and social behaviors: a Prader-Willi syndrome mouse model

old_uid11967
titleOxytocin gives the tempo of feeding and social behaviors: a Prader-Willi syndrome mouse model
start_date2016/09/16
schedule11h30
onlineno
location_infoBât. 2A, 3e étage, salle de réunion
detailsInvitant : Muriel Darnaudery, Professor of Neuroscience, University Bordeaux, lab NutriNeurO - UMR INRA 1286
summaryPrader-Willi syndrome is one of the best-studied neurodevelopmental genetic disease characterized mainly as a feeding disorder with behavioral and social disturbances. PWS involves several contiguous genes, including the MAGEL2 gene. Recently, pathogenic mutations of MAGEL2 have also been reported in several patients causing autism and PWS- like phenotypes; all patients presented autistic symptoms and feeding difficulties in infancy. We generated Magel2-deficient (KO) mice that showed a decrease in mature oxytocin (OT) production, which was correlated with alterations of the onset of feeding behavior at birth and with alterations of social behavior and cognition in adult. Moreover, of great relevance, is the finding that a postnatal administration of OT restores a normal suckling activity and cures PWS symptoms of Magel2-deficient mice in adulthood. Our working hypothesis is that the lack of Magel2 expression leads to an early postnatal alteration in OT neurons, affecting release of OT in structures controlling food intake/suckling and that this early deficit has later impairments of axonal wiring of OT neurons and inducing altered social behavior in adulthood. Thus, this model is perfectly suited for understanding the early alterations of the OT-system in PWS/autism and the rescue effect of an early OT administration. Furthermore, our study revealed that OT is a key factor in the initiation of suckling activity.
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