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Consumption Phenotype (consumption + phenotype)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences75%

Selected Abstracts

Chromosomal loci that influence oral nicotine consumption in C57BL/6J × C3H/HeJ F2 intercross mice

GENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 5 2007
X. C. Li
Several studies have demonstrated that there are genetic influences on free-choice oral nicotine consumption in mice. In order to establish the genetic architecture that underlies individual differences in free-choice nicotine consumption, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was used to identify chromosomal regions that influence free-choice nicotine consumption in male and female F2 mice derived from a cross between C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ mice. These two mouse strains were chosen not only because they differ significantly for oral nicotine consumption, but also because they are at or near phenotypic extremes for all measures of nicotine sensitivity that have been reported. A four-bottle choice paradigm was used to assess nicotine consumption over an 8-day period. The four bottles contained water or water supplemented with 25, 50 or 100 ,g/ml of nicotine base. Using micrograms of nicotine consumed per milliliter of total fluid consumed per day as the nicotine consumption phenotype, four significant QTL were identified. The QTL with the largest LOD score was located on distal chromosome 1 (peak LOD score = 15.7). Other chromosomes with significant QTL include central chromosome 4 (peak LOD score = 4.1), proximal chromosome 7 (peak LOD score = 6.1) and distal chromosome 15 (peak LOD score = 4.8). These four QTL appear to be responsible for up to 62% of the phenotypic variance in oral nicotine consumption. [source]

Role of Potassium Channel Gene Kcnj10 in Ethanol Preference in C57bl/6J and DBA/2J Mice

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2009
Shicong B. Zou
Background:, Inwardly-rectifying potassium channel protein Kir4.1 is encoded by Kcnj10 which maps to a quantitative trait locus on chromosome 1 for the voluntary alcohol consumption phenotype in mice. Kcnj10 brain expression differences have been established between ethanol-preferring C57Bl/6J and ethanol-avoiding BALB/cJ mice, but its differential expression in other tissues and strains have largely been overlooked. A nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism exists between C57Bl/6J and ethanol-avoiding DBA/2J mice which changes amino acid 262 from threonine (C57Bl/6J) to serine (DBA/2J). This Kcnj10 SNP and its expression may serve as valuable markers in predicting the ethanol preference phenotype in mice. Methods:, The evolutionary divergence of the Kir gene family was characterized using phylogenetic analysis involving the 16 mouse Kir channels. Kcnj10 expression differences in the brain, liver, lung, heart, spleen, kidney, testes, and muscle of male C57Bl/6J and DBA/2J mice at different developmental stages were examined using semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis. A SNP analysis was conducted to assess the association of Kcnj10 Thr262Ser SNP and the ethanol preference phenotype in F2 mice derived from the reciprocal crosses of the C57Bl/6J and DBA/2J strains. Results:, Evolutionary analysis supports gene duplication and genetic recombination as likely sources of diversity within the Kir gene family. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed significantly higher Kcnj10 expression in the brain, spleen, and kidney of both strains when compared to other tissues from the same strain. There were no significant differences in tissue-specific mRNA levels between strains except in the testes. Genotype distributions of the Kcnj10 Thr262Ser SNP were different between low- and high-drinkers. A significant difference in the average ethanol preference level of each genotype was also observed. Conclusion:, Our results suggest a role for Kcnj10 in ethanol preference determination in mice. However, further experiments are needed to establish if this association is due to the nonsynonymous SNP or other additional factors associated with Kcnj10. [source]

REVIEW: Ethanol consumption: how should we measure it?

ADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Achieving consilience between human, animal phenotypes
ABSTRACT There is only modest overlap in the most common alcohol consumption phenotypes measured in animal studies and those typically studied in humans. To address this issue, we identified a number of alcohol consumption phenotypes of importance to the field that have potential for consilience between human and animal models. These phenotypes can be broken down into three categories: (1) abstinence/the decision to drink or abstain; (2) the actual amount of alcohol consumed; and (3) heavy drinking. A number of suggestions for human and animal researchers are made in order to address these phenotypes and enhance consilience. Laboratory studies of the decision to drink or to abstain are needed in both human and animal research. In human laboratory studies, heavy or binge drinking that meets cut-offs used in epidemiological and clinical studies should be reported. Greater attention to patterns of drinking over time is needed in both animal and human studies. Individual differences pertaining to all consumption phenotypes should be addressed in animal research. Lastly, improved biomarkers need to be developed in future research for use with both humans and animals. Greater precision in estimating blood alcohol levels in the field, together with consistent measurement of breath/blood alcohol levels in human laboratory and animal studies, provides one means of achieving greater consilience of alcohol consumption phenotypes. [source]