Neurobehavioral Alterations in a Genetic Murine Model of Feingold Syndrome 2

Feingold syndrome (FS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by microcephaly, short stature, digital anomalies, esophageal/duodenal atresia, facial dysmorphism, and various learning disabilities. Heterozygous deletion of the miR-17–92 cluster is responsible for a subset of FS (Feingold syndrome type 2, FS2), and the developmental abnormalities that characterize this disorder are partially recapitulated in mice that harbor a heterozygous deletion of this cluster (miR-17–92∆/+ mice). Although Feingold patients develop a wide array of learning disabilities, no scientific description of learning/cognitive disabilities, intellectual deficiency, and brain alterations have been described in humans and animal models of FS2. The aim of this study was to draw a behavioral profile, during development and in adulthood, of miR-17–92∆/+ mice, a genetic mouse model of FS2. Moreover, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin tissue levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mpFC), and Hippocampus (Hip) of miR-17–92∆/+ mice were analyzed.Our data showed decreased body growth and reduced vocalization during development. Moreover, selective deficits in spatial ability, social novelty recognition and memory span were evident in adult miR-17–92∆/+ mice compared with healthy controls (WT). Finally, we found altered dopamine as well as serotonin tissue levels, in the mpFC and Hip, respectively, of miR-17–92∆/+ in comparison with WT mice, thus suggesting a possible link between cognitive deficits and altered brain neurotransmission.