C57BL/6 inbred mice have been widely used as research models; however, widespread demand has led to the creation of several B6 substrains with markedly different phenotypes. In this study, we report that two substrains of C57BL/6 mice, C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NCrl (B6C), separated over 50 years ago at two different breeding facilities differ significantly in alcohol consumption and alcohol preference. The genomes of these two substrains are estimated to differ by only 1–2% of all gene loci, providing a unique opportunity to extract particular expression signatures between these substrains that are associated with quantifiable behavioral differences. Expression profiling of the cortex and striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum and the ventral brain region from alcohol‐naïve B6C and B6J mice showed intervals on three chromosomes that are enriched in clusters of coregulated transcripts significantly divergent between the substrains. Additional analysis identified two genomic regions containing putative copy number differences between the substrains. One such region on chromosome 14 contained an estimated 3n copy number in the B6J genome compared with B6C. Within this interval, a gene of unknown function, D14Ertd449e, was found to be both associated with alcohol preference and vary in copy number across several inbred strain lineages. H2afz, Psen1, Wdfy1 and Clu were also identified as candidate genes that may be involved in influencing alcohol consumption.

Background Use of in silico bioinformatics analyses has led to important leads in the complex nature of alcoholism at the genomic, epigenomic, and proteomic level, but has not previously been successfully translated to the development of effective pharmacotherapies. In this study, a bioinformatics approach led to the discovery of neuroimmune pathways as an age-specific druggable target. Minocycline, a neuroimmune modulator, reduced high ethanol drinking in adult, but not adolescent, mice as predicted a priori. Methods Age and sex-divergent effects in alcohol consumption were quantified in FVB/NJ × C57BL/6J F1 mice given access to 20% alcohol using a 4 hr/day, 4-day Drinking-In-Dark (DID) paradigm. In silico bioinformatics pathway over-representation analysis for age-specific effects of alcohol in brain was performed using gene expression data collected in control and DID-treated, adolescent and adult, male mice. Minocycline (50 mg/kg i.p., once daily) or saline alone was tested for an effect on ethanol intake in the F1 and C57BL/6J (B6) mice across both age and gender groups. Effects of minocycline on the pharmacokinetic properties of alcohol were evaluated by comparing the rates of ethanol elimination between the saline and minocycline treated F1 and B6 mice. Results Age and gender differences in DID consumption were identified. Only males showed a clear developmental increase difference in drinking over time. In silico analyses revealed neuroimmune-related pathways as significantly over-represented in adult, but not adolescent, male mice. As predicted, minocycline treatment reduced drinking in adult, but not adolescent, mice. The age effect was present for both genders, and in both the F1 and B6 mice. Minocycline had no effect on the pharmacokinetic elimination of ethanol. Conclusions Our results are a proof of concept that bioinformatics analysis of brain gene expression can lead to the generation of new hypotheses and a positive translational outcome for individualized pharmacotherapeutic treatment of high alcohol consumption.

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