Defensive and offensive behaviors in social interaction settings in a Kleefstra syndrome mouse model

Alonso, A.; Samanta, A.; van der Meij, J.; van den Brand, L.; Negwer, M.; Navarro Lobato, I.; Genzel, L.

doi:10.1101/2022.02.03.478985

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.02.03.478985

Defensive and offensive behaviors in social interaction settings in a Kleefstra syndrome mouse model

Alonso, A.·Samanta, A.·van der Meij, J.·van den Brand, L.·Negwer, M.·Navarro Lobato, I.·Genzel, L.

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Abstract

Kleefstra syndrome in humans is characterized by general delay in development, intellectual disability and autistic features. The mouse model of this disease (Ehmt1+/-) expresses anxiety, autistic-like traits, and aberrant social interactions with non-cagemates. To investigate how Ehmt1+/- mice behave with unfamiliar conspecifics, we allowed adult, male animals to freely interact for 10 minutes in a neutral, novel environment within a host-visitor setting. In 17 out of 74 trials there were defensive and offensive behaviors. Our key finding was that Ehmt1+/- mice displayed defensive postures, attacking and biting; in contrast, wild-type (WT) interacting with other WT did not enact such behaviors. Further, if there was a fight between an Ehmt1+/- and a WT mouse, it was always the Ehmt1+/- who initiated these behaviors.

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Alonso, A., Samanta, A., van der Meij, J., van den Brand, L., Negwer, M., Navarro Lobato, I., Genzel, L.. 2022-02-06. Defensive and offensive behaviors in social interaction settings in a Kleefstra syndrome mouse model. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.03.478985

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