Fig. 2

LPS-urine drives Gαi2-dependent avoidance and is detected by Gαi2⁺ VSNs in freely behaving mice. a Three-chamber urine investigation assay where male mice could freely investigate filter papers treated with either urine from LPS- (LPS-urine; red) or PBS-treated males (PBS-urine; grey). Filter papers were placed in each lateral compartment. Bottom, examples of sniffing episodes of a control cGαi2^+/− mouse and a cGαi2^−/− mouse. b Investigation times of cGαi2^+/− vs. cGαi2^−/− mice to LPS-urine and PBS-urine (n = 15 and 16 respectively). c log₂ investigation time ratios (preference score) of cGαi2^+/− and cGαi2^−/− mice to PBS-urine and LPS-urine (n = 15 cGαi2^+/− and 16 cGαi2^−/− mice). d Investigation time (preference above 50%) of individual cGαi2^+/− and cGαi2^−/− mice to PBS-urine or LPS-urine. e Representative images of activated VSNs (pS6, green) of cGαi2^+/− and cGαi2^−/− mice after exposure to LPS-urine. Nuclear DAPI staining in purple. Scale bar: 25 μm. f Percentage of pS6 positive cells in VNOs of cGαi2^+/− and cGαi2^−/− mice after exposure to LPS-urine (n = 6 cGαi2^+/− and 5 cGαi2^−/− mice). g Quantification of c-Fos⁺ cells per μm² in the anterior and posterior AOB of cGαi2^+/− and cGαi2^−/− mice after exposure to LPS-urine (n = 9 cGαi2^+/− and 7 cGαi2^−/− mice). Mann-Whitney, *p < 0.05. Open circles represent individual mice