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Comparative study of the immunological characteristics of three different C57BL/6N mouse substrains

Laboratory Animal Research volume 33, pages 124–131 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Inbred mice, a systematically developed homogeneous animal, have been developed to maintain experimental reproducibility and to minimize experimental variables in animal-based studies. In particular, C57BL/6 mice are frequently used in experiments into immunology and antitumor activity experiments. This study was compared the immunological characteristics of C57BL/6NKorl, a Korean developed experimental animal resource, with those of two other C57BL/6N substrains. Mouse body, thymus, and spleen weights in C57BL/6NKorl were not significantly different from those of the other two C57BL/6N substrains. Among the three substrains, there was no difference in the distribution of T and B cells, which are lymphocytes involved in adaptive immunity, and no difference in NK cells related to innate immunity. Results for macrophages and granulocytes, which have roles in innate immunity, were similar in all three substrains. In order to investigate the expressions of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and allogenic antigens, splenocytes were separated from obtained spleen and analyzed by using flow cytometry. MHC class I and II molecules, which are important during self/non-self-discrimination, were similar in the three substrains. In addition, expression of alloantigen involved in allografts showed similar results in the three substrain. Thus, the results of this study provide strong evidence that C57BL/6NKorl is immunologically similar to two other C57BL/6N substrains.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a grant of BIOREIN (Laboratory Animal Bio Resources Initiative) from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2016.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, 50 Cheonghak, Samnangjin-eup, Miryang, Gyeongnam, 50463, Korea

      Jun Young Choi, Hye Ryeong Kim & Dae Youn Hwang

    2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Korea

      Kil Soo Kim

    3. College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Korea

      Young-Suk Jung

    4. Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory, Korea National Sport University, Seoul, 05541, Korea

      Joon Young Cho

    5. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, INJE University College of Medicine, 633-165 Gaegumdong, Busanjingu, Busan, 47392, Korea

      Hyun Keun Song

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    1. Jun Young Choi
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    Correspondence to Dae Youn Hwang or Hyun Keun Song.

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    Choi, J.Y., Kim, H.R., Kim, K.S. et al. Comparative study of the immunological characteristics of three different C57BL/6N mouse substrains. Lab Anim Res 33, 124–131 (2017). https://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.124

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.124

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