Maternal care in mice LG/J and SM/J: transgenerational and reproductive features

• Grant number: 13/22339-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: March 01, 2015 - March 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Andréa Cristina Peripato
• Grantee: Andréa Cristina Peripato
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Reinaldo Otávio Alvarenga Alves de Brito

Abstract

In mammals, maternal care is the females' investment to their offspring that will ensure the survival and growth of them in early stages of development. Furthermore, the maternal environment may also impact on behaviors/emotionality and physiology of the offspring later in life. We have been investigating maternal care in female mice of inbred strains LG/J, SM/J and their intercross. We have found a complex genetic architecture in the maternal features such as nest building, milk ejection, aggression against intruders and emotionality of the mother; however one of the aspects draw to our attention and is extremely relevant to its investigation. It involves the variation in maternal care in females crossed with genetically identical males, i.e., the same inbred line, compared to females mated with animals of different lines. The latter had better offspring viability because of maternal attributes' improvement. These aspects may involve epigenetic alterations in the mothers. Here we intend to investigate the gene expression and methylation pattern in the hypothalamus of these mothers, and also investigate hormonal changes in pregnant females. We will investigate reproductive parameters in sperm of different males as well, with emphasis on the analysis of male gametes mRNA and ncRNA. In all cases we will investigate the involvement of genomic imprinting modulating behavior in mice. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SAUCE, BRUNO; GOES, CAROLINA P.; FORTI, ISABELA; DO MONTE, BRUNO GABRIEL O.; WATANABE, ISABELA M.; CUNHA, JOAO; PERIPATO, ANDREA C.. A link between thrifty phenotype and maternal care across two generations of intercrossed mice. PLoS One, v. 12, n. 5, MAY 19 2017. (13/22339-0, 07/06254-3)