Figure 2. Salient experiences are represented by unique transcriptional signatures.
(A) Schematic of experimental paradigms. Experiences analyzed include saline (acute and repeated); foot shock (acute shock and no-shock controls exposed to the same environment); LiCl (acute and repeated); cocaine (acute, repeated and challenge following abstinence); sucrose (acute and repeated) and reinstatement of feeding (following 18 hr of deprivation). (B) Radar plots representing the transcriptional induction of Arc, Egr2, Egr4 and Fos across seven brain structures 1 hr after the different experiences [LCtx: limbic cortex (n = 4–14), NAc: nucleus accumbens (n = 4–14), DS: dorsal striatum (n = 4–14), Amy: amygdala (n = 4–9), LH: lateral hypothalamus (n = 3–9), Hipp: hippocampus (n = 4–9); VTA: ventral tegmental area (n = 2–8)]. Results are shown in log2 scale as mean ± s.e.m. of induction over baseline control.
Figure 2—figure supplement 1. Low variability of the individual transcriptional representations of recent experience.
Radar plots representing the transcriptional induction of Arc, Egr2, Egr4 and Fos, in seven brain nuclei [LCtx: limbic cortex (n = 4–14), NAc: nucleus accumbens (n = 4–14), DS: dorsal striatum (n = 4–14), Amy: amygdala (n = 4–9), LH: lateral hypothalamus (n = 3–9), Hipp: hippocampus (n = 4–8), VTA: ventral tegmental area, (n = 2–8)] 1 hr following the defined experiences. Results indicate fold induction at 1 hr in log2 scale, of individual subjects over relevant control conditions.
Figure 2—figure supplement 2. Transcriptional representation of negative valence in the amygdala.
Comparison of average transcriptional induction of Arc, Egr2, Egr4 and Fos in the LCtx, NAc, DS, Amy, LH and Hipp, 1 hr following acute exposure to the fear-conditioning chamber (no shock) or brief foot shock within the chamber (shock), to mice not exposed to chamber (baseline controls). Sample sizes across structures n = 3–8. Results indicate mean ± s.e.m. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc comparison: **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 vs no shock control, #p<0.05, ##p<0.01, ###p<0.001 vs baseline control.
Figure 2—figure supplement 3. Transcriptional representation of habituation and reinforcement.
Comparison of the transcriptional profiles induced by acute and repeated aversive (LiCl) and rewarding (cocaine and sucrose) experiences reveal distinctions and commonalities in the encoding of an anticipated experience of defined valence. Results indicate mean ± s.e.m Sample numbers for each time point- LCtx: limbic cortex (n = 6–14), NAc: nucleus accumbens (n = 6–14), DS: dorsal striatum (n = 6–14), Amy: amygdala (n = 4–9), LH: lateral hypothalamus (n = 3–9), Hipp: hippocampus (n = 4–9); VTA: ventral tegmental area (n = 2–8)]. Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc comparison: *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 vs control (saline or water), #p<0.05, #p<0.01, ###p<0.001 vs acute/repeated treatment.
Figure 2—figure supplement 4. Reinstatement of feeding is represented by robust transcriptional dynamics.
(A) Schematic of experimental paradigm for reinstatement of feeding. Mice were continuously fed or food deprived for 18 hr, followed by analysis of transcription at 0, 1, 2, 4 hr after reinstatement of feeding. (B) Time course (at 0, 1, 2, 4 hr following reinstatement of feeding, in comparison to continuously fed mice, ‘fed’) of transcriptional induction of Arc, Egr2, Egr4, Fos and Fosb in five brain nuclei. Data for each group was normalized to the 0 hr baseline controls. Sample numbers for each time point: LCtx, limbic cortex n = 10–11; NAc, nucleus accumbens n = 10–11; DS, dorsal striatum n = 7–9; Amy, amygdala n = 3–4; LH, lateral hypothalamus n = 2–4. Results indicate mean ± s.e.m.
Figure 2—figure supplement 5. Reinstatement of feeding is represented by robust transcriptional dynamics.
Comparison of transcriptional induction of Arc, Egr2, Egr4 and Fos, at 0 (deprived) and 1 hr following reinstatement of feeding (re-fed), and continuously fed mice (fed control) across five brain nuclei. Sample numbers for each time point: LCtx, limbic cortex n = 10–11; NAc, nucleus accumbens n = 10–11; DS, dorsal striatum n = 7–9; Amy, amygdala n = 3–4; LH, lateral hypothalamus n = 2–4. Results indicate mean ± s.e.m. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc comparison: *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 vs fed control; #p<0.05, ##p<0.01, ###p<0.001 vs deprived; $p<0.05 vs fed control.