Differential protein expression in the nucleus accumbens of high and low active mice

• High and low active mice have different protein signatures in the nucleus accumbens.
• Drd1 and Cb1 are not differentially expressed between high and low active mice.
• Neural stress proteins are associated with physical activity regulation.

Physical inactivity is associated with the development of a variety of chronic illnesses. Literature has shown that physical activity is genetically regulated; however there is limited information on the mechanisms that influence this process with existing studies primarily focused on genomic and/or transcription association studies. There have been no studies to determine differential protein expression in the nucleus accumbens, the brain site thought to be involved in activity regulation, between high and low active animals. We compared the global nucleus accumbens proteome signature from known high- and low-active mice and identified seven differentially expressed proteins. Low active mice generally over expressed proteins associated with neural stress (Stress 70 protein and V type proton ATPase catalytic subunit A), and the high-active mice over expressed proteins associated with metabolism (creatine kinase B, succinyl-CoA ligase). Previously suggested mechanisms associated with activity regulation in the nucleus accumbens have centered on dopamine receptor 1 and endocannabinoid receptor 1. However, these proteins and the associated pathways were not differentially expressed between high and low active mice. In conclusion, protein expression must be determined as part of the effort to identify involved mechanisms in regulating activity and there appears to be separate nucleus accumbens proteome signatures associated with high- and low-active mice.