The group III metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 (mGlu7) is an important regulator of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission and known to mediate emotionality and male social behavior. However, a possible regulatory role in maternal behavior remains unknown to date. Adequate expression of maternal behavior is essential for successful rearing and healthy development of the young. By understanding genetic and neural mechanisms underlying this important prosocial behavior, we gain valuable insights into possible dysregulations. Using genetic ablation as well as pharmacological modulation, we studied various parameters of maternal behavior in two different mouse strains under the influence of mGlu7. We can clearly show a regulatory role of mGlu7 in maternal behavior. Naïve virgin female C57BL/6 mGlu7 knockout mice showed more often nursing postures and less spontaneous maternal aggression compared to their heterozygous and wildtype littermates. In lactating C57BL/6 wildtype mice, acute central activation of mGlu7 by the selective agonist AMN082 reduced arched back nursing and accelerated pup retrieval without affecting maternal aggression. In addition, in lactating CD1 wildtype mice the selective mGlu7 antagonist XAP044 increased both pup retrieval and maternal aggression. With respect to receptor expression levels, mGlu7 mRNA expression was higher in lactating vs virgin C57BL/6 mice in the prefrontal cortex, but not hypothalamus or hippocampus. In conclusion, these findings highlight a significant role of the mGlu7 receptor subtype in mediating maternal behavior in mice. Region-dependent studies are warranted to further extend our knowledge on the specific function of the brain glutamate system in maternal behavior.

中文翻译：

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代谢型谷氨酸受体亚型7控制小鼠的产妇保健，产妇动机和产妇侵略性。

III组代谢型谷氨酸受体亚型7（mGlu7）是谷氨酸能和GABA能神经传递的重要调节剂，已知能介导情绪和男性社交行为。然而，迄今为止，在孕产妇行为中可能的调节作用仍然未知。产妇行为的充分表达对于年轻人的成功养育和健康成长至关重要。通过了解这种重要亲社会行为的遗传和神经机制，我们获得了对可能的失调的宝贵见解。使用遗传消融以及药理学调节，我们研究了在mGlu7影响下两种不同小鼠品系中孕产妇行为的各种参数。我们可以清楚地显示出mGlu7在孕产妇行为中的调节作用。与杂合子和野生型同窝仔相比，纯净的初生雌性C57BL / 6 mGlu7基因敲除小鼠表现出更频繁的护理姿势和更少的自发性母体攻击。在哺乳的C57BL / 6野生型小鼠中，选择性激动剂AMN082对mGlu7的急性中枢激活减少了拱背护理，并加速了幼犬的恢复，而不会影响母体的侵略性。此外，在哺乳期的CD1野生型小鼠中，选择性mGlu7拮抗剂XAP044会增加幼仔的恢复和母体的侵略性。关于受体的表达水平，在哺乳期与原始C57BL / 6小鼠相比，前额叶皮层中的mGlu7 mRNA表达更高，但下丘脑或海马体中的mGlu7 mRNA表达更高。总之，这些发现突出了mGlu7受体亚型在介导小鼠母体行为中的重要作用。