PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Paliarin, Franciely
AU  - Duplantis, Chelsea
AU  - Jones, Andrea F.
AU  - Cucinello-Ragland, Jessica
AU  - Basavanhalli, Samhita
AU  - Blaze, Emily
AU  - Doré, Evan
AU  - Neel, Anna Isabella
AU  - Sun, Haiguo
AU  - Chen, Rong
AU  - Edwards, Scott
AU  - Gilpin, Nicholas W.
AU  - Messing, Robert O.
AU  - Maiya, Rajani
TI  - A Cre Driver Line for Genetic Targeting of Kappa Opioid Receptor Expressing Cells
AID  - 10.1523/ENEURO.0043-23.2023
DP  - 2023 Jul 01
TA  - eneuro
PG  - ENEURO.0043-23.2023
VI  - 10
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.eneuro.org/content/10/7/ENEURO.0043-23.2023.short
4100  - http://www.eneuro.org/content/10/7/ENEURO.0043-23.2023.full
SO  - eNeuro2023 Jul 01; 10
AB  - Here we describe the generation and characterization of a Cre knock-in mouse line that harbors a Cre insertion in the 3′UTR of the κ opioid receptor gene (Oprk1) locus and provides genetic access to populations of κ opioid receptor (KOR)-expressing neurons throughout the brain. Using a combination of techniques including RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we report that Cre is expressed with high fidelity in KOR-expressing cells throughout the brain in this mouse line. We also provide evidence that Cre insertion does not alter basal KOR function. Baseline anxiety-like behaviors and nociceptive thresholds are unaltered in Oprk1-Cre mice. Chemogenetic activation of KOR-expressing cells in the basolateral amygdala (BLAKOR cells) resulted in several sex-specific effects on anxiety-like and aversive behaviors. Activation led to decreased anxiety-like behavior on the elevated plus maze and increased sociability in female but not in male Oprk1-Cre mice. Activation of BLAKOR cells also attenuated KOR agonist-induced conditioned place aversion (CPA) in male Oprk1-Cre mice. Overall, these results suggest a potential role for BLAKOR cells in regulating anxiety-like behaviors and KOR-agonist mediated CPA. In summary, these results provide evidence for the utility of the newly generated Oprk1-Cre mice in assessing localization, anatomy, and function of KOR circuits throughout the brain.