Generation and Characterization of Rgs4 Mutant Mice

Abstract

RGS proteins are negative regulators of signaling through heterotrimeric G protein-coupled receptors and, as such, are in a position to regulate a plethora of biological phenomena. However, those have just begun to be explored in vivo. Here, we describe a mouse line deficient for Rgs4, a gene normally expressed early on in discrete populations of differentiating neurons and later on at multiple sites of the central nervous system, the cortex in particular, where it is one of the most highly transcribed Rgs genes. Rgs4^lacZ/lacZ mice had normal neural development and were viable and fertile. Behavioral testing on mutant adults revealed subtle sensorimotor deficits but, so far, supported neither the proposed status of Rgs4 as a schizophrenia susceptibility gene (by showing intact prepulse inhibition in the mutants) nor (unlike another member of the Rgs family, Rgs9) a role of Rgs4 in the acute or chronic response to opioids.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by grants from the European Community (QGL2-CT-2001-01467), Association Française contre les myopathies, the French Ministry of Research (ACI 2002), and Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (fellowship to N.G.).

We thank H. Meziane and A.-M. Ouagazzal for helpful comments on the behavioral tests.