title: Spontaneous exocrine pancreas hypoplasia in specific pathogen-free C3HeB/FeJ and 101/H mouse pups causes steatorrhea and runting.
abstract: Under specific pathogen-free conditions, 1.3% to 1.8% of litters born in our inbred 101/H and C3HeB/FeJ mouse colonies had pups with steatorrhea and runting. Clinically affected male and female pups were first identified when they were from 14 to 25 d old. Unaffected littermates were healthy and were weaned successfully. Postmortem findings in 8 clinically affected mice included a small, poorly differentiated exocrine pancreas comprising cytokeratin-negative duct-like structures but lacking recognizable acinar cells with their normal carboxypeptidase B-positive zymogen granules. Endocrine pancreas islets were unremarkable and contained insulin-positive beta cells and glucagon-positive alpha cells. There was mild inflammation of the hindgut but no evidence of intestinal pathogens or marked inflammation or necrosis of pancreas, either alone or as part of a multisystemic inflammatory condition. Sera from pups in 4 affected litters did not contain antibodies to reovirus 3, mouse coronavirus, rotavirus, or mouse adenovirus 2. Furthermore, 4 sets of parental mice and sentinel mice from the facility were negative for 13 viruses, bacteria, and parasites. C3HeB/FeJ and 101/H inbred strains may be genetically predisposed because the steatorrhea and runting was absent in 13 other mouse strains and subspecies bred in the specific pathogen-free facility. This condition resembles exocrine pancreas hypoplasia, but the inheritance is complex. A wider implication is that runting coupled with steatorrhea are phenotypic criteria to suspect pancreatic disease that could be used in the context of a mouse N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-mutagenesis program to identify potential mutants with defects in pancreas development.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Group, Mary Lyon Centre, Medical Research Council Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK. m.cheeseman@har.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cheeseman
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chrobot
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Fray
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Deeny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000382:microbiology; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000382:microbiology; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D045602:Steatorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin