Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Aug 10.
Published in final edited form as: Mol Psychiatry. 2016 Jan 5;21(8):1137–1144. doi: 10.1038/mp.2015.189

Figure 3. Pharmacological antagonism of Avpr1b in the CA2 blocks optogenetic memory enhancement.

Figure 3

a, The schematic illustrates AAV-ChR2-mCherry expression in AVP promoter-driven Cre (Avp-Cre) mice with intra-CA2 optical stimulation (emitting at a 465-nm wavelength from a LED light) and microinjections of the Avpr1b antagonist (SSR149415). b, Specifically, mice were injected with an adeno-associated virus containing a Cre-inducible ChR2-mCherry (AAV2-DIO-EF1α-hChR2(H134R)-mCherry) in the PVN and implanted with guide cannulae bilaterally in the CA2. The diagram illustrates the optical fiber (left; 11.5 mm shaft), 21-gauge guide cannula (bottom right; 8 mm pedestal, 3 mm metal cannula), and a dust cap outfitted with a ceramic sleeve threaded through and anchored with epoxy to the dust cap (top right). These modified dust caps and guide cannulae were designed to accommodate micro-injector needles for drug infusion as well as optical fibers. c, Before the acquisition trial, wild-type (WT) and Avp-Cre mice received 200 nl microinjections of a vehicle or an Avpr1b antagonist (SSR149415, 1 ng or 10 ng). Mice were then exposed to an unfamiliar OVX female for 5 minutes with optical stimulation (T1-ON) and re-exposed to the original female (Same ♀ condition) after a 2-hour retention interval. d, Avp-cre mice (blue, n = 8) receiving optical stimulation decreased investigation of a mouse encountered in trial 1 during trial 2 when concurrently treated with a drug vehicle and, to a lesser extent, 1 ng of SSR149415 but not a higher dose (10 ng) of this Avpr1b antagonist (ANOVA: genotype X drug X trial F(2, 42) = 10.98, P < 0.0005). Avp-Cre mice investigated the stimulus mouse during trial 2 significantly less than WT mice (grey, n = 8) but only when receiving the drug vehicle. e, Avp-Cre mice receiving optical stimulation displayed greater change in investigation compared to WT mice when concurrently receiving vehicle infusions, no change occurred when an Avpr1b antagonist (1 ng or 10 ng) was injected (ANOVA: genotype X drug F(2, 28) = 4.08, P < 0.05).

HHS Vulnerability Disclosure