Conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin- or somatostatin-positive neurons sufficiently leads to autism-related behavioral phenotypes.

ABSTRACT: Disrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sst-neurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors

SUBMITTER: Shin S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7839207 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature