To investigate the effect of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) on 5-serotonin-2c receptor in alleviating aggression in socially isolated mice.

Sixty healthy male BALB / c mice aged 21 days were randomly divided into six groups: social isolation group, social control group, ADAR1 inducer social isolation group, ADAR1 inhibitor social isolation group, ADAR1 inducer social control group and ADAR1 inhibitor control group.The mice fed in single cage for 4 weeks were used as social isolation model while the mice fed in group were used as control group.ADAR1 inducer (5.0×10⁴ U/kg) and inhibitor (10 mg/kg) were given intraperitoneally to mice in the ADAR1 inducer social isolation group and the ADAR1 inhibitor social isolation group respectively.The aggressive behavior of mice was evaluated by resident-intruder test.The expression of ADAR1 and 5-serotonin-2c receptors in the brain of mice was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

The attack latency of social isolation group was significantly lower than that of social control group ((43.15±6.99) s, (542.40±30.50) s; t=15.906, P<0.01), and the latency of attack ((256.70±29.49) s) in the ADAR1 inducer social isolation group was significantly higher than that in the social isolation group (t=7.046, P<0.01). The latency of attack ((15.25±2.18)s) in the ADAR1 inhibitor social isolation group was significantly lower than that in the social isolation group (t=3.809, P<0.01). The optical density of ADAR1 immunoreactive cells in the amygdala of the social isolation group mice was significantly lower than that in the corresponding brain area of the social control group (BLA: (0.038±0.002), (0.074±0.004); LaDL: (0.033±0.002), (0.060±0.002); LaVM: (0.045±0.003), (0.073±0.004); Lavl area: (0.044±0.003), (0.070±0.003); t=8.428, 9.037, 6.462, 5.698, all P<0.01). The optical density of ADAR1 immunoreactive positive cells in the amygdala (BLA: (0.060±0.003), LaDL: (0.042±0.002), LaVM: (0.056±0.004), Lavl: (0.054±0.003) in the ADAR1 inducer social isolation group was significantly higher than those in the corresponding brain area of the social isolation group mice (t=6.055, 2.876, 2.312, 2.492; all P<0.05). The expression of ADAR1 protein and 5-serotonin-2c receptor protein in amygdala of social isolation group were significantly lower than those of social isolation group (t=11.37, 12.65; P<0.01). The expression of ADAR1 protein and 5-serotonin-2c receptor protein in the amygdala of the ADAR1 inducer social isolation group were significantly higher than those of the social isolation group (t=3.02, 4.401; P<0.05).

ADAR1 inducer alleviates the aggressive behavior of social isolated BALB / c mice by enhancing the protein expression of 5-serotonin-2c receptor in the amygdala of social isolated BALB/c mice.

Social isolation; Aggressive behavior; Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1; 5-serotonin-2C receptor; Mice