PETRULIS - DE VRIES LAB
VASOPRESSIN RECEPTORS IN LATERAL HABENULA AND DORSAL RAPHE
Blocking vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) in dorsal raphe or lateral habenula impairs social communication in males, but not females
VASOPRESSIN RECEPTORS IN VENTRAL PALLIDUM
Knockdown of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR), via viral-mediated RNA-interference, in ventral pallidum specifically impaired male-male social interest.
GENETIC ACCESS TO V1AR-EXPRESSING CELL POPULATIONS
We have developed a Avpr1a-2PA-iCre mouse to allow specific targeting of V1aR-expressing cells. Panel: lateral septum from Avpr1a-cre x ZsGreen cre-reporter line cross.
FUNCTION OF V1AR IN THE LATERAL SEPTUM?
We are using both excitatory and inhibitory opsins to interrogate the social and emotional function of V1aR-expressing cells in the lateral septum. Panel: patch-clamp ex vivo recordings from LS V1aR cells responding to inhibitory (top) or excitatory (bottom) opsin stimulation.
BEHAVIORAL-ACTIVITY CORRELATES OF V1AR LATERAL SEPTUM CELLS
Fiber photometry recordings from lateral septum V1aR-expressing cells display strong calcium increases during the start (left image) and end (right image) of social investigation with a pronounced decrease in signal during investigation.
FUNCTION OF V1AR IN THE LATERAL SEPTUM?
We are using our newly-developed floxed V1aR mouse (conditional KO) line to determine the necessity of V1aR in the lateral septum and other areas for social and emotional behavior. Panel: viral-based cre-expression in lateral septum of V1aR floxed mice deletes V1aR binding.
CONNECTIONS OF V1AR LATERAL SEPTUM CELLS?
Viral-based neural tracing of monosynaptic inputs and outputs of V1aR LS reveals strong interconnection with other V1aR-expressing brain regions (e.g. diagonal band of Broca, etc.). Panel: rabies virus-labeled input to lateral septum from cells in the diagonal band of Broca.
V1AR-EXPRESSING CELLS IN THE LATERAL HYPOTHALAMUS
We are interested in understanding the function of V1aR-expressing cells in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), a major behavior/physiology integrative brain region. There is heavy expression of V1aR in the LH (left panel: dark autoradiographic label) with many (85%+) orexin/hypocretin cells in this region also expressing V1aR (right panel: hypocretin label + ZsGreen/V1aR label).
