Altered D2 receptor and transcription factor EB expression in offspring of aggressive male rats, along with having depressive and anxiety-like behaviors

Abstract

Aim of the study: Dopaminergic system in the amygdala and Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) influences fear and anxiety through Dopaminergic Receptors (DR), especially DR-D1 and DR-D2. Transcription Factor EB (TFEB) is an upstream protein of the autophagy-lysosome pathway.

Materials and methods

In this study we have evaluated the behavioral mood variations, and expression of DR-D2 and TFEB genes in the amygdala and PFC of aggressive male rats’ offspring.

Results

Anxiety and depression-like behaviors were observed, but intra-ventricle injection of DR-D2 antagonist (Sulpiride) has shown to be efficient in reducing negative behavioral changes in offspring. Furthermore, DR-D2 gene expression was increased in the amygdala and PFC of aggressive male rats’ offspring, which the injection of Sulpiride decreased it significantly. TFEB gene expression was also decreased in the amygdala and PFC of aggressive male rats’ offspring, but the blockade of DR-D2 had no effect on it.

Conclusions

The current data suggests the possible influence of dopaminergic receptors D2 and TFEB genes on the behavioral changes which is modified by having an aggressive father.

Keywords:

• Dopamine receptor D2
• anxiety
• aggression
• depression
• transcription factor EB
• amygdala
• prefrontal cortex

Acknowledgments

Authors thanks Neuroscience Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).