Studies on anxiety-like behavior and cognitive functions in Vps13b knockout mice

Abstract

Vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 13B (VPS13B), also known as COH1, is one of the VPS13 family members which cause distinct neurodegenerative and developmental disorders, and involved in transmembrane transport, Golgi integrity, and neuritogenesis. There are many human studies revealing patients with Cohen syndrome (CS) have a mutation in VPS13B gene. A mutation in VPS13B gene is also associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, pathogenesis of CS is not yet defined clearly. Here, I examined behavioral aspects of Vps13b knockout (KO) mice as a CS mouse model. I found that Vps13b KO mice exhibited hypoactivity and impaired spatial learning and memory, compared to wild-type (WT) mice littermates. However, Vps13b KO mice showed normal anxiety-like phenotypes, working memory, fear memory, and social behavior. This study reveals behavioral phenotypes of Vps13b KO mice for the first time.