Effect of Crossing C57BL/6 and FVB Mouse Strains on Basal Cytokine Expression

C57BL/6 is the most often used laboratory mouse strain. However, sometimes it is beneficial to cross the transgenic mice on the C57BL/6 background to the other strain, such as FVB. Although this is a common strategy, the influence of crossing these different strains on homeostatic expression of cytokines is not known. Here we have investigated the differences in the expression of selected cytokines between C57BL/6J and C57BL/6JxFVB mice in serum and skeletal muscle. We have found that only few cytokines were altered by crossing of the strains. Concentrations of IL5, IL7, LIF, MIP-2, and IP-10 were higher in serum of C57BL/6J mice than in C57BL/6JxFVB mice, whereas concentration of G-CSF was lower in C57BL/6J. In the skeletal muscle only the concentration of VEGF was higher in C57BL/6J mice than in C57BL/6JxFVB mice. Concluding, the differences in cytokine expression upon crossing C57BL/6 and FVB strain in basal conditions are not profound.

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t-Specific DNA polymorphisms among wild mice from Israel and Spain.

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/119.1.157 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 119 (1) ◽

pp. 157-160

Author(s):

F Figueroa ◽

E Neufeld ◽

U Ritte ◽

J Klein

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Mouse ◽

The Other ◽

Dna Polymorphisms ◽

Chromosome 17 ◽

Mouse Strains ◽

Laboratory Mice ◽

Wild Type ◽

Wild Mice ◽

T Complex ◽

Length Polymorphisms

Abstract Lehrach and his coworkers have isolated a series of DNA probes that specifically hybridize with different regions of mouse chromosome 17 within the t complex. The probes display restriction fragment length polymorphisms, RFLPs, which are specific for the t haplotypes in all laboratory mouse strains tested thus far. Some of these probes have been used to test wild mice populations for these t-associated DNA forms. It is demonstrated that populations from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Australia, Costa Rica, and Venezuela contain chromosomes in which all the tested DNA loci display the t-specific polymorphisms. The frequency of mice carrying these chromosomes is as high as 31%. Wild mice from Israel and Spain, on the other hand, carry chromosomes displaying t-specific DNA forms only at one or two of the probed loci, while the other loci carry the wild-type (+) forms. These chromosomes thus resemble the partial t haplotypes known from the study of laboratory mice. One possible interpretation of these findings is that these DNA polymorphisms contributed to the assembly of the complete t haplotypes and that these haplotypes may have originated in the Middle East.

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Baylisascaris potosis larvae in mice of different strains and infectivity of tissue larvae

Helminthologia ◽

10.2478/helm-2020-0035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 (3) ◽

pp. 288-292

Author(s):

K. Taira ◽

M. Takechi ◽

H. K. Ooi

Keyword(s):

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Nervous Tissue ◽

The Other ◽

Mouse Strains ◽

Post Inoculation ◽

Icr Mice ◽

Tissue Migration ◽

Different Strains ◽

The Brain

SummaryMigration of Baylisascaris potosis larvae in different mouse strains were compared, and infectivity of the persisting larvae in mice tissues were investigated. Five strains of mice, BALB/c, C57BL/6, AKR, B10.BR, and ICR were inoculated with 1,000 B. potosis eggs/mouse, and necropsied at week 13 post inoculation (PI). The other uninfected ICR mice (secondary host) were inoculated with 43 larvae/ mouse recovered from mice at week 13 PI with eggs, and necropsied at day 21 PI. Larvae in organs or tissues were counted at necropsy. One AKR mouse showed torticollis and circling at day 56 PI. At necropsy at week 13 PI, larvae were recovered from all mice. A mean total larvae recovered were 124.1 (n=40). Majority of larvae were found in the carcass (mean 113.9) and some in the viscera (mean 9.9). Zero to 1 larva were found in the brain or eyes of some mice. There were no differences among the mouse strains in the number of larvae, except in the viscera; more larvae were seen in BALB/c or ICR than in B10.BR mice. No larvae were found in the secondary host mice. Present study demonstrated that B. potosis larvae migrate well in the carcass of any strains of mice, however, the tissue larvae did not infect the secondary host. Results of our present study suggest that B. potosis larvae is less aggressive for the nervous tissue migration than that of B. procyonis larvae which is commonly known to migrate in central nervous system of mammals and birds.

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Brachybacterium muris sp. nov., isolated from the liver of a laboratory mouse strain

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY ◽

10.1099/ijs.0.02728-0 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 1955-1960 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

S. Buczolits

Keyword(s):

Mouse Strain ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Laboratory Mouse Strain

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Mouse Genome Database (MGD): Knowledgebase for mouse–human comparative biology

Nucleic Acids Research ◽

10.1093/nar/gkaa1083 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (D1) ◽

pp. D981-D987 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Judith A Blake ◽

Richard Baldarelli ◽

James A Kadin ◽

Joel E Richardson ◽

Cynthia L Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mouse Models ◽

Mouse Strain ◽

Mouse Genome ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Model Organism ◽

Primary Source ◽

Mouse Genome Database ◽

Biomedical Literature ◽

Mouse Strains ◽

Genome Database

Abstract The Mouse Genome Database (MGD; http://www.informatics.jax.org) is the community model organism knowledgebase for the laboratory mouse, a widely used animal model for comparative studies of the genetic and genomic basis for human health and disease. MGD is the authoritative source for biological reference data related to mouse genes, gene functions, phenotypes and mouse models of human disease. MGD is the primary source for official gene, allele, and mouse strain nomenclature based on the guidelines set by the International Committee on Standardized Nomenclature for Mice. MGD’s biocuration scientists curate information from the biomedical literature and from large and small datasets contributed directly by investigators. In this report we describe significant enhancements to the content and interfaces at MGD, including (i) improvements in the Multi Genome Viewer for exploring the genomes of multiple mouse strains, (ii) inclusion of many more mouse strains and new mouse strain pages with extended query options and (iii) integration of extensive data about mouse strain variants. We also describe improvements to the efficiency of literature curation processes and the implementation of an information portal focused on mouse models and genes for the study of COVID-19.

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A P2rx7 passenger mutation affects the vitality and function of immune cells in P2X4ko and other transgenic mice

10.1101/2020.06.10.139410 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marco Er-Lukowiak ◽

Yinghui Duan ◽

Francois Rassendren ◽

Lauriane Ulmann ◽

Annette Nicke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Transgenic Mice ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Embryonic Stem ◽

Mouse Strains ◽

Cell Populations ◽

And Function ◽

Passenger Mutations ◽

Passenger Mutation

AbstractAmong laboratory mouse strains many genes are differentially expressed in the same cell population. As consequence, gene targeting in 129-derived embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and backcrossing the modified mice onto the C57BL/6 (B6) background can introduce passenger mutations in the close proximity of the targeted gene. Here, we demonstrate that several 129-originating transgenic mice in which P2rx7-neighboring genes were targeted carry a P2rx7 passenger mutation that affects the vitality and function of T cells. By the example of P2rx4tm1Rass we demonstrate that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells derived from these mice express higher levels of P2X7 when compared to corresponding cell populations in B6-WT mice. The increased T cell sensitivity towards the P2X7 activators adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) rendered these cells more vulnerable towards NAD-induced cell death (NICD) compared to their B6-WT counterparts. The enhanced NICD sensitivity significantly affected the outcome of functional assays e.g. cytokine production and cell migration. For P2rx4tm1Rass, we demonstrate that the expression of P2X7 is diminished in several innate immune cell populations, possibly as a side effect of P2rx4 targeting, and independent of the P2rx7 passenger mutation. These results need to be considered when working with P2rx4tm1Rass mice or other 129-based transgenic strains that target P2rx7 neighboring genes and might have implications for other mouse models.

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Characterization of the blood–brain barrier in genetically diverse laboratory mouse strains

Fluids and Barriers of the CNS ◽

10.1186/s12987-021-00269-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Johanna Schaffenrath ◽

Sheng-Fu Huang ◽

Tania Wyss ◽

Mauro Delorenzi ◽

Annika Keller

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Cells ◽

Inbred Mouse ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Mouse Strains ◽

Sodium Fluorescein ◽

Vascular Density ◽

Inbred Mouse Strains ◽

Pericyte Coverage ◽

Bbb Permeability ◽

Different Strains

Abstract Background Genetic variation in a population has an influence on the manifestation of monogenic as well as multifactorial disorders, with the underlying genetic contribution dependent on several interacting variants. Common laboratory mouse strains used for modelling human disease lack the genetic variability of the human population. Therefore, outcomes of rodent studies show limited relevance to human disease. The functionality of brain vasculature is an important modifier of brain diseases. Importantly, the restrictive interface between blood and brain—the blood–brain barrier (BBB) serves as a major obstacle for the drug delivery into the central nervous system (CNS). Using genetically diverse mouse strains, we aimed to investigate the phenotypic and transcriptomic variation of the healthy BBB in different inbred mouse strains. Methods We investigated the heterogeneity of brain vasculature in recently wild-derived mouse strains (CAST/EiJ, WSB/EiJ, PWK/PhJ) and long-inbred mouse strains (129S1/SvImJ, A/J, C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, NOD/ShiLtJ) using different phenotypic arms. We used immunohistochemistry and confocal laser microscopy followed by quantitative image analysis to determine vascular density and pericyte coverage in two brain regions—cortex and hippocampus. Using a low molecular weight fluorescence tracer, sodium fluorescein and spectrophotometry analysis, we assessed BBB permeability in young and aged mice of selected strains. For further phenotypic characterization of endothelial cells in inbred mouse strains, we performed bulk RNA sequencing of sorted endothelial cells isolated from cortex and hippocampus. Results Cortical vessel density and pericyte coverage did not differ among the investigated strains, except in the cortex, where PWK/PhJ showed lower vessel density compared to NOD/ShiLtJ, and a higher pericyte coverage than DBA/2J. The vascular density in the hippocampus differed among analyzed strains but not the pericyte coverage. The staining patterns of endothelial arteriovenous zonation markers were similar in different strains. BBB permeability to a small fluorescent tracer, sodium fluorescein, was also similar in different strains, except in the hippocampus where the CAST/EiJ showed higher permeability than NOD/ShiLtJ. Transcriptomic analysis of endothelial cells revealed that sex of the animal was a major determinant of gene expression differences. In addition, the expression level of several genes implicated in endothelial function and BBB biology differed between wild-derived and long-inbred mouse strains. In aged mice of three investigated strains (DBA/2J, A/J, C57BL/6J) vascular density and pericyte coverage did not change—expect for DBA/2J, whereas vascular permeability to sodium fluorescein increased in all three strains. Conclusions Our analysis shows that although there were no major differences in parenchymal vascular morphology and paracellular BBB permeability for small molecular weight tracer between investigated mouse strains or sexes, transcriptomic differences of brain endothelial cells point to variation in gene expression of the intact BBB. These baseline variances might be confounding factors in pathological conditions that may lead to a differential functional outcome dependent on the sex or genetic polymorphism.

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