Stress hormones or general well-being are not altered in immune-deficient mice lacking either T- and B- lymphocytes or Interferon gamma signaling if kept under specific pathogen free housing conditions

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 30;15(9):e0239231. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239231. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

It is controversially discussed whether immune-deficient mice experience severity in the absence of infection. Because a comprehensive analysis of the well-being of immune-deficient mice under specific pathogen free conditions is missing, we used a multi-parametric test analyzing, corticosterone, weight, nest building and facial expression over a period of 9 month to determine the well-being of two immune-deficient mouse lines (recombination activating gene 2- and interferon gamma receptor-deficient mice). We do not find evidence for severity when comparing immune-deficient mice to their heterozygous immune-competent littermates. Our data challenge the assumption that immune-deficiency per se regardless of housing conditions causes severity. Based on our study we propose to use objective non-invasive parameters determined by laboratory animal science for decisions concerning severity of immune-deficient mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Corticosterone / genetics*
  • Corticosterone / immunology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infections / genetics
  • Infections / immunology
  • Interferon gamma Receptor
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics*
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID / genetics*
  • Mice, SCID / immunology
  • Pain / genetics
  • Pain / pathology
  • Receptors, Interferon / deficiency
  • Receptors, Interferon / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Testosterone / genetics

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • IFNG protein, mouse
  • Rag2 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Interferon
  • Testosterone
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Corticosterone

Grants and funding

TK recieved funding by the Charite 3R Center.