Increased stereotypy in conditional Cxcr4 knockout mice

Chemokines play important roles in the central nervous system, including mediating neuroinflammation and guiding the intracortical migration of interneurons during development. Alteration in parvalbumin-positive interneurons is a key neuropathological hallmark of multiple mental conditions. We recently reported a significant reduction in the expression of CXCL12 in olfactory neurons from sporadic cases with schizophrenia compared with matched controls, suggesting a role for CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling in mental conditions. Thus, we depleted the chemokine receptor Cxcr4 from mice using the parvalbumin-2A-Cre line. The conditional knockout mice exhibited a unique behavioral phenotype involving increased stereotypy. Stereotypy is observed in many psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, autism, and dementia. Thus, the Cxcr4 conditional knockout mice may serve as a model for this symptomatic feature.