title: The streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude mouse model: differences between animals from different sources.
abstract: Diabetes is induced in mice by using streptozotocin (STZ), a compound that has a preferential toxicity toward pancreatic β cells. We evaluated nude male mice from various sources for their sensitivity to a single high dose (160 to 240 mg/kg) of STZ. Diabetes was induced in male  mice (age: median, 12 wk; interquartile range, 11 to 14 wk; body weight, about 30 g) from Taconic Farms (TAC), Jackson Laboratories (JAX), and Charles River Laboratories (CRL). Mice were monitored for 30 d for adverse side effects, blood glucose, and insulin requirements. In CRL mice given  240 mg/kg STZ, more than 95% developed diabetes within 4 to 5 d, and loss of body weight was relatively low (mean, 0.4 g). In comparison, both TAC and JAX mice were more sensitive to STZ, as evidenced by faster development of diabetes (even at a lower STZ dose), greater need for insulin after  STZ, greater body weight loss (mean: TAC, 3.5 g; JAX, 3.7 g), and greater mortality. We recommend conducting exploratory safety assessments when selecting a nude mouse source, with the aim of limiting morbidity and mortality to less than 10%.
authors.affiliation: Schulze Diabetes Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. graha066@umn.edu
authors.forename: Melanie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Jody L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Janecek
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kittredge
authors.forename: Bernhard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hering
authors.forename: Henk-Jan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schuurman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin