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

In a mouse model, AVPR1A ligand binding was observed in sensory tissues of the head, bone, spinal cord, adrenal cortex, and uro-anogenital region of neonatal wild-type mice, suggesting roles for AVP in modulating neonatal peripheral physiology and development [2]. 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 on anxiety-related behaviors, highlighting its role in social stress-related responses [3].

In conclusion, Avpr1a is crucial for multiple biological processes, including neonatal development and social behavior-related stress responses. The gene knockout or loss-of-function mouse models have been instrumental in revealing its role in these areas, potentially providing insights into related human conditions such as anxiety-related disorders [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/