Association of glycoprotein gp130 with hereditary catalepsy in mice

Glycoprotein gp130 is involved in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and related cytokines' signaling. Linkage between the gp130 coding gene and freezing reaction (catalepsy) was shown. Here, we compared the expression and function of the gp130 in male mice of catalepsy-resistant AKR/J strain and catalepsy-prone congenic AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 strain created by transferring the gp130 gene allele from catalepsy-prone CBA/Lac to the genome of AKR/J strain. No difference in the gp130 expression in the frontal cortex, hippocampus and midbrain between AKR and AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 mice was found. However, AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 mice were more sensitive to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The administration of LPS (50 mu g/kg, ip) significantly increased mRNA level of the gene coding IL-6-regulated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the midbrain, induced catalepsy and decreased locomotion in the open field and social investigation tests in AKR.CBA-D13Mit76, but not in AKR mice. The result indicates (1) the association between gp130 and hereditary catalepsy, (2) increased functional activity rather than expression of gp130 in AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 mice and (3) the involvement of gp130 in the mechanism of LPS-induced alteration of behavior.