Loss of Sigma-2 Receptor/TMEM97 Is Associated with Neuropathic Injury-Induced Depression-Like Behaviors in Female Mice.

Previous studies have shown that ligands that bind to sigma-2 receptor/TMEM97 (sR/TMEM97), a transmembrane protein, have anxiolytic/antidepressant-like properties and relieve neuropathic pain-like effects in rodents. Despite medical interest in sR/TMEM97, little affective and pain behavioral characterization has been done using transgenic mice, which limits the development of sR/TMEM97 as a viable therapeutic target. Using wild-type (WT) and global knock-out (KO) mice, we sought to identify the contribution of in modulating affective and pain-like behaviors using a battery of affective and pain assays, including open field, light/dark preference, elevated plus maze, forced swim test, tail suspension test, and the mechanical sensitivity tests.