Fig. 2: Novelty-associated increase in locomotion and tissue and extracellular dopamine levels in ventral striatum of zdhhc15-KO mice.

A Individual male zdhhc15-KO mice and matched WT littermates were allowed to explore freely from interference for 90 min in a photo-beam equipped clear plastic chamber. The patterns of total ambulatory activity were automatically recorded and analyzed. Adult male zdhhc15-KO mice show increased motor activity when compared to WT littermates (n = 9–10 animals per group; factorial repeated measures ANOVA; p = 0.023). The increased locomotion in zdhhc15-KO was most significant during the first 30 min in the chamber, gradually reduced to levels of WT mice during 30–60 min, and remained at levels of WT mice during 60–90 min). B Significant increase in motor activities in male zdhhc15-KO mice was observed during the first 30 min (habituation phase) of the test (n = 9–10 animals per group; student t-test; center, p = 0.00002; periphery, p = 0.01536; rearing, p = 0.000027). C Adult male zdhhc15-KO mice show increased extracellular dopamine as measured by in vivo microdialysis in the ventral striatum during the habituation phase (30 min) to the novel environment, which corresponds to the increase in locomotion observed in the first 30 min at the open-field test (n = 6 mice per group, student t-test, p = 0.049). D After the habituation phase, the extracellular levels of dopamine in ventral striatum were not significantly different between WT and zdhhc15-KO mice (n = 6 mice per group). E Striatal content of monoamines in male zdhhc15-KO and WT control mice as measured by HPLC. NE, norepinephrine; DA, dopamine; DOPAC, 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid; HVA, homovanillic acid; 5-HT, serotonin; 5-HIAA, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (n = 10 mice per group, student t-test, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01).