Tspan15 depletion in mice affects social investigation and aggressive behavior

Abstract

Tetraspanins are transmembrane proteins that form tetraspanin-enriched microdomains at biological membranes and contribute to the formation of functional protein complexes involved in various cellular processes. Tspan7 and Tspan15 are highly expressed in the hippocampus, a brain region that contributes to the regulation of social aggression. While Tspan7 has been observed to modulate cognition and behavior in rodents, the function of Tspan15 in this context is still unknown. In this study, we tested preference for social novelty, territorial and aggressive behavior in mice lacking Tspan15 gene expression. We report that male Tspan15-KO mice exhibit an increased motivation for social investigation and show increased aggression compared to WT littermates, regardless of familiarity with the partner mouse. Our data suggest a possible role of Tspan15 as a molecular modulator of certain neuronal circuits that control aggressive behavior.