1
|
Kolbe T, Lassnig C, Poelzl A, Palme R, Auer KE, Rülicke T. Effect of Different Ambient Temperatures on Reproductive Outcome and Stress Level of Lactating Females in Two Mouse Strains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162141. [PMID: 36009730 PMCID: PMC9405067 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The optimal temperature for laboratory mice has been under discussion for some time. Current standard temperature is 20 °C–24 °C but it has been suggested to elevate the standard to 30 °C, which is the thermoneutral zone for mice. In this study, the effect of different cage temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C) on reproduction and stress hormone metabolite excretion was evaluated in lactating females of two commonly used mouse strains. Pup loss was higher, and weights of mothers and pups were reduced at 30 °C compared to the lower temperatures. In addition, pups showed increased tail length at weaning under the high temperature (30 °C). There was no difference in stress hormone metabolite excretion in mice between temperature groups. We could not show any detrimental effects of the lower or higher cage temperature on stress hormone metabolite excretion, but found decreased reproductive outcome under the higher temperature. Abstract Ambient temperature is an important non-biotic environmental factor influencing immunological and oncological parameters in laboratory mice. It is under discussion which temperature is more appropriate and whether the commonly used room temperature in rodent facilities of about 21 °C represents a chronic cold stress or the 30 °C of the thermoneutral zone constitutes heat stress for the animals. In this study, we selected the physiological challenging period of lactation to investigate the influence of a cage temperature of 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C, respectively, on reproductive performance and stress hormone levels in two frequently used mouse strains. We found that B6D2F1 hybrid mothers weaned more pups compared to C57BL/6N mothers, and that the number of weaned pups was reduced when mothers of both strains were kept at 30 °C. Furthermore, at 30 °C, mothers and pups showed reduced body weight at weaning and offspring had longer tails. Despite pronounced temperature effects on reproductive parameters, we did not find any temperature effects on adrenocortical activity in breeding and control mice. Independent of the ambient temperature, however, we found that females raising pups showed elevated levels of faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) compared to controls. Peak levels of stress hormone metabolites were measured around birth and during the third week of lactation. Our results provide no evidence of an advantage for keeping lactating mice in ambient temperatures near the thermoneutral zone. In contrast, we found that a 30 °C cage temperature during lactation reduced body mass in females and their offspring and declined female reproductive performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kolbe
- Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Department IFA-Tulln, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
| | - Caroline Lassnig
- Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Poelzl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin E. Auer
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro Models, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Rülicke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stover MG, Villano JS. Evaluation of Various IVC Systems According to Mouse Reproductive Performance and Husbandry and Environmental Parameters. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2022; 61:31-41. [PMID: 34980294 PMCID: PMC8786386 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-21-000079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
IVC systems are marketed for improving the health and management of mouse colonies. The current study compared mouse reproductive performance and husbandry and environmental parameters among 3 high-density (HD) IVC rack systems (RS1, RS2, and RS3), which were present in separate but comparable rooms. Three breeding trios each of Swiss Webster (CFW) and BALB/c mice were placed in each rack (n = 36 female, n = 18 male). Reproductive indices were measured for 3 breeding cycles over 2 generations; indices included time to parturition, litter size and pup weight, survivability, and interbirth interval. Over 18 wk, personnel used scoring systems to evaluate each RS daily to every other week according to cage dirtiness, need for spot changing, ease of cage changing, daily health checks, and cage wash processing. Macroenvironmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity, noise, total particulate matter) were measured weekly over 14 wks. Microenvironmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity, NH₃, CO₂, O₂) of 2 cages each of male and female CFW mice (4 mice/cage) on each RS were measured at 6 time points over 2 wks. RS1 had significantly smaller mean litter sizes of CFW mice (mean ± 1 SD, 6.5 ± 2.9 pups) as compared with both RS2 (9.5 ± 1.7 pups) and RS3 (9.3 ± 3.8 pups). RS1 scored as being significantly easier to process through the cage wash. RS2 had significantly lower room noise levels (46.0 ± 5.0 dBA) but higher humidity (58.6% ± 8.9%) as compared with both RS1 (43.7% ± 9.9%) and RS3 (46.0% ± 12.0%) over the 2-wk cycle, particularly at 8 and 12 d after cage change. In conclusion, in terms of mouse reproductive performance and husbandry and environmental parameters, each system had at least 1 advantage over the other 2. Therefore, various factors should be considered when choosing an IVC system for mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mitchel G Stover
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, School of Medicine, and
- Research Animal Resources, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jason S Villano
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, School of Medicine, and
- Research Animal Resources, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li M, Speakman JR. Setting Ambient Temperature Conditions to Optimize Translation of Molecular Work from the Mouse to Human: The "Goldilocks Solution". Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2448:235-250. [PMID: 35167101 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2087-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Temperature has a profound effect on many aspects of murine physiology. This raises the question of the best temperature at which mice should be housed to maximize the translational potential to humans. The temperatures at which mice have been routinely kept for studies of molecular physiology (20-21 °C) maximize the comfort of animal handling staff. There is a widespread movement suggesting we should perform experiments instead on mice housed at 30 °C. This often produces very different outcomes. Here we analyze the basis of this suggestion and show that while 20-21 °C is too cold, 30 °C is probably too hot. Rather we suggest an intermediate temperature "the Goldilocks solution" of 25-26 °C is probably optimal. This should be combined with providing animals with nesting material so that they can construct nests to generate microclimates that are within their own control. Providing copious nesting material has additional spin-off advantages in terms of increasing environmental enrichment. Ultimately, however, advocating a single temperature to mimic human physiology is plagued by the problem that humans vary widely in the temperature environments they experience, with consequences for human disease. Hence studying responses at a range of temperatures may provide the greatest insights and translational potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen, Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen, Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Roscito JG, Subramanian K, Naumann R, Sarov M, Shevchenko A, Bogdanova A, Kurth T, Foerster L, Kreysing M, Hiller M. Recapitulating Evolutionary Divergence in a Single Cis-Regulatory Element Is Sufficient to Cause Expression Changes of the Lens Gene Tdrd7. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:380-392. [PMID: 32853335 PMCID: PMC7826196 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in cis-regulatory elements play important roles for phenotypic changes during evolution. Eye degeneration in the blind mole rat (BMR; Nannospalax galili) and other subterranean mammals is significantly associated with widespread divergence of eye regulatory elements, but the effect of these regulatory mutations on eye development and function has not been explored. Here, we investigate the effect of mutations observed in the BMR sequence of a conserved noncoding element upstream of Tdrd7, a pleiotropic gene required for lens development and spermatogenesis. We first show that this conserved element is a transcriptional repressor in lens cells and that the BMR sequence partially lost repressor activity. Next, we recapitulated evolutionary changes in this element by precisely replacing the endogenous regulatory element in a mouse line by the orthologous BMR sequence with CRISPR-Cas9. Strikingly, this repressor replacement caused a more than 2-fold upregulation of Tdrd7 in the developing lens; however, increased mRNA level does not result in a corresponding increase in TDRD7 protein nor an obvious lens phenotype, possibly explained by buffering at the posttranscriptional level. Our results are consistent with eye degeneration in subterranean mammals having a polygenic basis where many small-effect mutations in different eye-regulatory elements collectively contribute to phenotypic differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana G Roscito
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kaushikaram Subramanian
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ronald Naumann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mihail Sarov
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Shevchenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Aliona Bogdanova
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Kurth
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technology Platform, TU, Dresden, Germany
| | - Leo Foerster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Moritz Kreysing
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany.,Center of Excellence, Physics of Life, Technical University, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Helppi J, Naumann R, Zierau O. Phytoestrogen-containing diets offer benefits for mouse embryology but lead to fewer offspring being produced. Lab Anim 2020; 54:536-545. [PMID: 32050842 DOI: 10.1177/0023677219898486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the most commonly used protein sources in rodent diets is soy, which is naturally rich in phytoestrogens. Although phytoestrogens have shown potential health benefits in humans, they may also have the ability to disrupt reproduction. Consequently, there has been a tendency to try to exclude them from rodent diets. In the current study, we investigated whether phytoestrogen content in the mouse diet could affect reproduction in mice used as embryo donors. Donor mice (C57BL/6JOlaHsd) were maintained with three different diets: high phytoestrogen (ca. 400 mg/kg genistein), low phytoestrogen (ca. 10 mg/kg genistein) and standard breeding diet (ca. 120 mg/kg genistein). Mice fed a high phytoestrogen diet had a high yield of plugs, embryos, and injectable embryos, as well as producing good quality embryos. Results from donor mice fed a low phytoestrogen diet were consistently but only slightly inferior, whereas mice fed a standard diet performed the poorest. Interestingly, the largest number of born and weaned offspring were observed when recipient females received embryos from the standard diet group. Sperm yield and quality of stud males did not differ between the groups. We surmize that for experimental endpoints requiring fertilized embryos it may be more beneficial to feed mice a diet containing phytoestrogen, but if the goal is to produce transgenic mice, a diet high in phytoestrogen may be inadvisable. In conclusion, care should be taken when selecting a diet for experimental mouse colonies as phytoestrogen could influence the study outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jussi Helppi
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany
| | - Ronald Naumann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany
| | - Oliver Zierau
- Institute of Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Keijer J, Li M, Speakman JR. What is the best housing temperature to translate mouse experiments to humans? Mol Metab 2019; 25:168-176. [PMID: 31003945 PMCID: PMC6599456 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ambient temperature impinges on energy metabolism in a body size dependent manner. This has implications for the housing temperature at which mice are best compared to humans. In 2013, we suggested that, for comparative studies, solitary mice are best housed at 23-25 °C, because this is 3-5 °C below the mouse thermoneutral zone and humans routinely live 3-5 °C below thermoneutrality, and because this generates a ratio of DEE to BMR of 1.6-1.9, mimicking the ratio found in free-living humans. METHODS Recently, Fischer et al. (2017) challenged this estimate. By studying mice at 21 °C and at 30 °C (but notably not at 23-25 °C) they concluded that 30 °C is the optimal housing temperature. Here, we measured energy metabolism of C57BL/6 mice over a range of temperatures, between 21.4 °C and 30.2 °C. RESULTS We observed a ratio of DEE to BMR of 1.7 at 27.6 °C and of 1.8 at 25.5 °C, suggesting that this is the best temperature range for housing C57BL/6 mice to mimic human thermal relations. We used a 24 min average to calculate the ratio, similar to that used in human studies, while the ratio calculated by Fisher et al. dependent on short, transient metabolic declines. CONCLUSION We concur with Fisher et al. and others that 21 °C is too cool, but we continue to suggest that 30 °C is too warm. We support this with other data. Finally, to mimic living environments of all humans, and not just those in controlled Western environments, mouse experimentation at various temperatures is likely required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, PO box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - John R Speakman
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK; CAS Centre of Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Anhê FF, Nachbar RT, Varin TV, Trottier J, Dudonné S, Le Barz M, Feutry P, Pilon G, Barbier O, Desjardins Y, Roy D, Marette A. Treatment with camu camu ( Myrciaria dubia) prevents obesity by altering the gut microbiota and increasing energy expenditure in diet-induced obese mice. Gut 2019; 68:453-464. [PMID: 30064988 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The consumption of fruits is strongly associated with better health and higher bacterial diversity in the gut microbiota (GM). Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is an Amazonian fruit with a unique phytochemical profile, strong antioxidant potential and purported anti-inflammatory potential. DESIGN By using metabolic tests coupled with 16S rRNA gene-based taxonomic profiling and faecal microbial transplantation (FMT), we have assessed the effect of a crude extract of camu camu (CC) on obesity and associated immunometabolic disorders in high fat/high sucrose (HFHS)-fed mice. RESULTS Treatment of HFHS-fed mice with CC prevented weight gain, lowered fat accumulation and blunted metabolic inflammation and endotoxaemia. CC-treated mice displayed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and were also fully protected against hepatic steatosis. These effects were linked to increased energy expenditure and upregulation of uncoupling protein 1 mRNA expression in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of CC-treated mice, which strongly correlated with the mRNA expression of the membrane bile acid (BA) receptor TGR5. Moreover, CC-treated mice showed altered plasma BA pool size and composition and drastic changes in the GM (eg, bloom of Akkermansia muciniphila and a strong reduction of Lactobacillus). Germ-free (GF) mice reconstituted with the GM of CC-treated mice gained less weight and displayed higher energy expenditure than GF-mice colonised with the FM of HFHS controls. CONCLUSION Our results show that CC prevents visceral and liver fat deposition through BAT activation and increased energy expenditure, a mechanism that is dependent on the GM and linked to major changes in the BA pool size and composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando F Anhê
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis of the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec, Canada.,Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Renato T Nachbar
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis of the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Thibault V Varin
- Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Trottier
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Endocrinology-Nephrology Axis, CHU-Québec Research Centre, Québec, Canada.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Dudonné
- Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Mélanie Le Barz
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis of the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec, Canada.,Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Perrine Feutry
- Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Geneviève Pilon
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis of the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec, Canada.,Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Olivier Barbier
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Endocrinology-Nephrology Axis, CHU-Québec Research Centre, Québec, Canada.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Yves Desjardins
- Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Denis Roy
- Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - André Marette
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Axis of the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec, Canada.,Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ohrnberger SA, Brinkmann K, Palme R, Valencak TG. Dorsal shaving affects concentrations of faecal cortisol metabolites in lactating golden hamsters. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:13. [PMID: 29335818 PMCID: PMC5769818 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1536-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Breeding of golden hamsters is classically performed at thermal conditions ranging from 20 to 24 °C. However, growing evidence suggests that lactating females suffer from heat stress. We hypothesised that shaving females dorsally to maximise heat dissipation may reduce stress during reproduction. We thus compared faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) from shaved golden hamster mothers with those from unshaved controls. We observed significantly lower FCM levels in the shaved mothers (F1,22 = 8.69, p = 0.0075) pointing to lower stress due to ameliorated heat dissipation over the body surface. In addition, we observed 0.4 °C lower mean subcutaneous body temperatures in the shaved females, although this effect did not reach significance (F1,22 = 1.86, p = 0.18). Our results suggest that golden hamsters having body masses being more than four times that of laboratory mice provide a very interesting model to study aspects of lactation and heat production at the same time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Ohrnberger
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Katharina Brinkmann
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Palme
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Teresa G Valencak
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|