title: The Pathology of Aging 129S6/SvEvTac Mice.
abstract: The 129 mouse strain is commonly used for the generation of genetically engineered mice. Genetic drift or accidental contamination during outcrossing has resulted in several 129 substrains. Comprehensive data on spontaneous age-related pathology exist for the 129S4/SvJae substrain, whereas only limited information is available for other 129 substrains. This longitudinal aging study describes the life span and spontaneous lesions of 44 male and 18 female mice of the 129S6/SvEvTac substrain. Median survival time was 778 and 770 days for males and females, respectively. Tumors of lung and Harderian gland were the most common neoplasms in both sexes. Hepatocellular tumors occurred mainly in males. Hematopoietic tumors were observed at low frequency. Suppurative and ulcerative blepharoconjunctivitis was the most common nonneoplastic condition in both sexes. Corynebacteria (primarily Corynebacterium urealyticum and C. pseudodiphtheriticum) were isolated from animals with blepharoconjunctivitis and in some cases from unaffected mice, although a clear causal association between corynebacterial infections and blepharoconjunctivitis could not be inferred. Polyarteritis occurred only in males and was identified as the most common nonneoplastic contributory cause of death. Eosinophilic crystalline pneumonia occurred in both sexes and was a relevant cause of death or comorbidity. Epithelial hyalinosis at extrapulmonary sites was noted at higher frequency in females. This study contributes important data on the spontaneous age-related pathology of the 129S6/SvEvTac mouse substrain and is a valuable reference for evaluation of the phenotype in genetically engineered mice obtained with this 129 substrain.
authors.affiliation: VIB11 Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium InfraMouse, KU Leuven-VIB, Leuven, Belgium Enrico.Radaelli@cme.vib-kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radaelli
authors.affiliation: Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory, Filarete Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castiglioni
authors.affiliation: Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory, Filarete Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Recordati
authors.affiliation: COGENTECH SCARL, Milan, Italy Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.affiliation: COGENTECH SCARL, Milan, Italy Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capillo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Sezione di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
authors.affiliation: Mouse and Animal Pathology Laboratory, Filarete Foundation, Milan, Italy Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scanziani
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchesi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008136:Longevity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype
keywords: 129 mouse; Harderian gland; aging; blepharoconjunctivitis; hyalinosis; phenotyping