Figure 7. Upf2 fb-KO Mice Display Abnormal USVs that Are Reversed by Treatment with CyP or Mino.

(A) A schematic of the same-sex social interaction assay used for USV recording. Two female mice from the same genotype group were placed in an open cage, and a microphone was placed above the middle of the cage to record calls from the mice.

(B) Quantification of the call rate in adult female-female interactions. Compared with controls, Upf2 fb-KO mice emitted significantly fewer calls (n = 12 pairs/24 mice control, n = 14 pairs/28 mice Upf2 fb-KO, one-way repeated-measures ANOVA, F_3,37 = 5.19, p <0.01 [between-group comparison: control versus Upf2 fb-KO t = 3.15]). Chronic treatment with Mino rescued the call rate in Upf2 fb-KO mice to a similar level as in control mice (n = 12 pairs/24 mice control, n = 8 pairs/16 mice Mino, one-way repeated-measures ANOVA, F_3,37 = 5.19, p <0.01 [between-group comparison: Upf2 fb-KO versus Upf2 fb-KO Mino t = 3.46]).

(C) Representative sonograms of USVs produced by adult female mice in all groups.

(D and E) Call types were classified into five major types: short, simple, complex, frequency jumps, and unstructured calls. For each group, the distribution (D) and quantification (E) of call types were plotted. Upf2 fb-KO mice emitted significantly more complex calls of longer duration and higher intensity compared with control pairs; fewer short and simple calls were recorded in Upf2 fb-KO same-sex social interaction compared with control pairs (n = 12 pairs/24 mice control, n = 14 pairs/28 mice Upf2 fb-KO, one-way ANOVA, F9,120 = 25.58, p < 0.0001 [between-group comparison: short calls t = 3.42; simple calls t = 4.39; complex calls t = 4.22; frequency jumps t = 1.62, p > 0.9999; unstructured calls t = 1.98, p > 0.99]). This abnormal call pattern was restored to one similar to controls after chronic treatment with CyP (n = 12 pairs/24 mice control, n = 7 pairs/14 mice CyP, one-way ANOVA, F_9,95 = 22.99, p < 0.0001 [between group comparison: short calls t = 3.03, p = 0.14; simple calls t = 5.37; complex calls t = 3.95; frequency jumps t = 2.77, p = 0.31; unstructured calls t = 1.68, p = 0.99]) or Mino (n = 12 pairs/24 mice control, n = 8 pairs/16 mice Mino, one-way ANOVA, F9,100 = 23.88, p < 0.0001 [between-group comparison: short calls t = 1.42, p > 0.99; simple calls t = 4.75;complex calls t = 3.71; frequency jumps t = 1.24, p > 0.99; unstructured calls t = 1.22, p > 0.99]).

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. Error bars represent mean ± SEM.

See also Figure S7.