Lab Anim Res.  2017 Jun;33(2):124-131. 10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.124.

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

• Choi JY
• Kim HR
• Kim KS
• Jung YS
• Cho JY
• Hwang DY
• Song HK

• KMID: 2407426
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.124

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.

Keyword

C57BL/6N; C57BL/6NKorl; immune cell; spleen; thymus

MeSH Terms

Adaptive Immunity
Allergy and Immunology
Allografts
Animals
B-Lymphocytes
Flow Cytometry
Granulocytes
Immunity, Innate
Isoantigens
Killer Cells, Natural
Lymphocytes
Macrophages
Major Histocompatibility Complex
Mice*
Spleen
Thymus Gland
Weights and Measures
Isoantigens

Figure

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  Figure 1 Body, spleen, and thymus weights in C57BL/6NKorl mouse compared to those in two other C57BL/6N mouse substrains. Weights were determined at 7 weeks of age. each mouse was measured three times (n=3).

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  Figure 2 Relative levels of lymphocyte populations in C57BL/6NKorl mouse and two C57BL/6N substrain. (A) Histogram plots from flow cytometry present the population of T cells (left panel) and B cells (right panel) from spleen. (B) Histogram plot displays the total NK cell population in spleen cells. Results are representative of 3 independent experiments.

• 

  Figure 3 Relative levels of myeloid lineage cell populations in C57BL/6NKorl mouse and two other C57BL/6N substrains. Histogram plots of flow cytometry presented the population of macrophages (left panel) and granulocytes (right panel) from spleen. Results are representative of 3 independent experiments.

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  Figure 4 Determination of mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in C57BL/6NKorl mouse and two other C57BL/6N substrains. (A) Histogram plots of flow cytometry presented the expression of MHC class I molecule on spleen cells. Left histogram plot illustrates the expression level of H-2Db on spleen cells. Right histogram plot displays the expression level of H-2Kb on spleen cells. (B) Histogram plot displays the expression level of MHC class II, I-Ab on spleen cells. Results are representative of 3 independent experiments.

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  Figure 5 The expression levels of mouse alloantigen in C57BL/6NKorl mouse and two other C57BL/6N substrains. (A) Histogram plots presented the expression of CD45 (left panel) and CD45.2 (right panel) on spleen cells. (B) Left histogram plot illustrates the expression level of CD90 on spleen cells. Right histogram plot displays the expression level of CD90.2 on spleen cells. Results are representative of 3 independent experiments.

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