Avpr1a, the arginine vasopressin receptor 1A gene, encodes a receptor that interacts with the arginine vasopressin hormone. This interaction is involved in physiological stress regulation, blood pressure control, and child development. It also plays a role in maintaining homeostasis and regulating social behavior. The neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP), which binds to AVPR1A, has significant functions in various biological processes [1,2].

In AVPR1A knockout (KO) postnatal day 0 (P0) male and female mice on a C57BL/6J background, specific AVPR1A ligand binding was significantly reduced or absent in control samples compared to wildtype mice. This indicates that AVPR1A has roles in modulating peripheral physiology and development in neonates. In female mice, loss of function studies demonstrated that AVPR1A signaling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is required for the effects of chronic social isolation stress (CSIS) on anxiety-related behaviors, while it has no effect in males or group-housed females [2,3].

In conclusion, Avpr1a is crucial for multiple biological functions such as neonatal development and social behavior regulation. AVPR1A KO mouse models have revealed its role in anxiety-related behaviors in female mice, providing insights into potential therapeutic applications for females experiencing heightened susceptibility to anxiety disorders due to social isolation [2,3].

References:

1. Nidey, Nichole, Bowers, Katherine, Ding, Lili, Mahabee-Gittens, E Melinda, Folger, Alonzo T. 2023. Neonatal AVPR1a Methylation and In-Utero Exposure to Maternal Smoking. In Toxics, 11, . doi:10.3390/toxics11100855. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37888705/

2. Day, Katherine R, Coleman, Alexis, Greenwood, Maria A, Hammock, Elizabeth A D. 2020. AVPR1A distribution in the whole C57BL/6J mouse neonate. In Scientific reports, 10, 14512. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71392-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32884025/

3. François, Marie, Delgado, Isabella Canal, Lafond, Alexandre, Dölen, Gül, Zeltser, Lori M. 2023. Amygdala AVPR1A mediates susceptibility to chronic social isolation in females. In bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, , . doi:10.1101/2023.02.15.528679. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36824966/