Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Sex Differences in Aggression: Differential Roles of 5-HT2, Neuropeptide F and Tachykinin

Andrew N. Bubak, Michael J. Watt, Kenneth J. Renner, Abigail A. Luman, Jamie D. Costabile, Erin J. Sanders, View ORCID ProfileJaime L. Grace, John G. Swallow
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/407478
Andrew N. Bubak
1Department of Neurology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Michael J. Watt
2Center for Brain and Behavior Research, Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Kenneth J. Renner
3Biology Department, University of South Dakota
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Abigail A. Luman
4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado-Denver
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jamie D. Costabile
4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado-Denver
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Erin J. Sanders
4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado-Denver
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jaime L. Grace
5Department of Biology, Bradley University
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Jaime L. Grace
John G. Swallow
4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado-Denver
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: john.swallow@ucdenver.edu
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Despite the conserved function of aggression across taxa in obtaining critical resources such as food and mates, serotonin’s (5-HT) modulatory role on aggressive behavior appears to be largely inhibitory for vertebrates but stimulatory for invertebrates. However, critical gaps exist in our knowledge of invertebrates that need to be addressed before definitively stating opposing roles for 5-HT and aggression. Specifically, the role of 5-HT receptor subtypes are largely unknown, as is the potential interactive role of 5-HT with other neurochemical systems known to play a critical role in aggression. Similarly, the influence of these systems in driving sex differences in aggressive behavior of invertebrates is not well understood. Here, we investigated these questions by employing complementary approaches in a novel invertebrate model of aggression, the stalk-eyed fly. A combination of altered social conditions, pharmacological manipulation and 5-HT2 receptor knockdown by siRNA revealed an inhibitory role of this receptor subtype on aggression. Additionally, we provide evidence for 5-HT2’s involvement in regulating neuropeptide F activity, a suspected inhibitor of aggression. However, this function appears to be stage-specific, altering only the initiation stage of aggressive conflicts. Alternatively, pharmacologically increasing systemic concentrations of 5-HT significantly elevated the expression of the neuropeptide tachykinin, which did not affect contest initiation but instead promoted escalation via production of high intensity aggressive behaviors. Notably, these effects were limited solely to males, with female aggression and neuropeptide expression remaining unaltered by any manipulation that affected 5-HT. Together, these results demonstrate a more nuanced role for 5-HT in modulating aggression in invertebrates, revealing an important interactive role with neuropeptides that is more reminiscent of vertebrates. The sex-differences described here also provide valuable insight into the evolutionary contexts of this complex behavior.

Significance Statement Serotonin’s (5-HT) modulatory role in aggression is generally reported as inhibitory in vertebrates but stimulatory in invertebrates. Using a novel invertebrate model system, we provide evidence of common pathways of aggression at the 5-HT receptor subtype level as well as 5-HT’s interactive role with other neurochemical systems namely neuropeptide F and tachykinin. Additionally, we found that these effects were sex-dependent as well as stage-dependent affecting either the initiation or escalation stage of an aggressive contest. Our results reveal the impressive level of conservation with respect to neurochemical mechanisms among species as diverse as vertebrates and invertebrates, and highlights the need to consider multiple factors when determining potential taxonomic differences in how 5-HT mediates aggression.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted September 03, 2018.
Download PDF
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Sex Differences in Aggression: Differential Roles of 5-HT2, Neuropeptide F and Tachykinin
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Sex Differences in Aggression: Differential Roles of 5-HT2, Neuropeptide F and Tachykinin
Andrew N. Bubak, Michael J. Watt, Kenneth J. Renner, Abigail A. Luman, Jamie D. Costabile, Erin J. Sanders, Jaime L. Grace, John G. Swallow
bioRxiv 407478; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/407478
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Sex Differences in Aggression: Differential Roles of 5-HT2, Neuropeptide F and Tachykinin
Andrew N. Bubak, Michael J. Watt, Kenneth J. Renner, Abigail A. Luman, Jamie D. Costabile, Erin J. Sanders, Jaime L. Grace, John G. Swallow
bioRxiv 407478; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/407478

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Neuroscience
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (3689)
  • Biochemistry (7796)
  • Bioengineering (5674)
  • Bioinformatics (21283)
  • Biophysics (10578)
  • Cancer Biology (8174)
  • Cell Biology (11945)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (6762)
  • Ecology (10401)
  • Epidemiology (2065)
  • Evolutionary Biology (13865)
  • Genetics (9708)
  • Genomics (13072)
  • Immunology (8146)
  • Microbiology (20014)
  • Molecular Biology (7853)
  • Neuroscience (43055)
  • Paleontology (319)
  • Pathology (1279)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2258)
  • Physiology (3351)
  • Plant Biology (7232)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1312)
  • Synthetic Biology (2006)
  • Systems Biology (5538)
  • Zoology (1128)