The influence of the athymic mutation nude on the components of the circadian rhythm of activity in mice.
The mutation known as nude brings about the lack of a thymus gland in mice. This immunodeficiency akes it possible to graft normally unaccepted, human cancerous tumors onto the mouse. Consequently, this animal is frequently used as a model for evaluating anti-cancer therapies. The effect of this mutation on biological rhythms constitutes a necessary step before using this model for cancer chronotherapy research. We evaluated the circadian and ultradian components of the rest-activity cycle in the following strains of mice: C57BL/6 with homozygous nu/nu, heterozygous nu/+, thymectomised +/+, and sham-operated +/+. The amount of activity was reduced in nu/nu as compared to the other groups. Nonetheless, neither the nude mutation nor thymectomy yielded any notable change in the circadian rhythm of activity.
Beau
J
J
URA 1294 C.N.R.S., Paris, France.
Lévi
F
F
Motta
R
R
D000204:Activity Cycles; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D009154:Mutation; D013934:Thymectomy