Background genotype modulates the effects of γ‐PKC on the development of rapid tolerance to ethanol‐induced hypothermia

The role of γ-PKC in initial sensitivity and in the development of rapid tolerance to the hypothermic effects of ethanol were investigated in γ-PKC null mutant mice. Effects of the single gene mutation were evaluated on three different genetic backgrounds. Null mutants from a C57BL/6J X 129/SvJ mixed genetic background failed to develop rapid tolerance after 4 days of i.p. ethanol injections. However, when the null mutation was introgressed onto a C57BL/6J background for six generations to create a congenic line, the expression of rapid tolerance unexpectedly reoccurred in the null mutant mice. Subsequent outcrossing of the γ-PKC null mutation to a C57BL/6J X 129/SvEvTac mixed background did not restore the no tolerance phenotype. These observations, taken together with similar results reported previously concerning the development of chronic tolerance to ethanol in these same genotypes, ¹ indicate that the gene coding for gamma-PKC has pleiotropic effects in the expression of both rapid and chronic tolerance to ethanol-induced hypothermia. However, the impact of γ-PKC is modulated by the background genotype. These results stress the necessity of understanding interactions with genetic background when interpreting the effects of single gene mutations on complex behavioral traits.