title: Treatment and re-characterization of mouse obstructive genitourinary syndrome.
abstract: We aimed to characterize and to explore a treatment for a condition in which male mice exhibited a solid bulge in the preputial area and an inability to breed. Twenty-seven mice from several animal housing institutions in Spain were included in this study for microbiological and pathological characterization of this condition. The condition mostly affected breeding animals and was associated with the C57BL/6J genetic background. A solid, yellowish-white substance was found inside the prepuce, which displaced the penis cranially, preventing its externalization and limiting the animal's capacity to breed. This pattern was almost identical to that of post-coital vaginal plugs, suggesting that the blocking substance originated from ejaculate. Opposite to what was suggested in previous publications, the penis was completely intact in all of the cases, with no signs of mutilation or wounds. Based on our findings, we developed a surgical technique to clear the prepuce and recover breeding performance, which we tested in 15 other mice with the condition. We eliminated the blocking substance and recurrence of the condition by surgically opening the prepuce, and most of the animals recovered fertility.
authors.affiliation: Animal Facility Unit, RMG-SEA Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Molina-Cimadevila
authors.affiliation: Animal Facility Unit Parc de Recerca Biomedica de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: García-Robles
authors.affiliation: Animal Facility Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Center CNIO, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Mediavilla
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Yeray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Brito-Casillas
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wägner
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty of the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio de Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty of the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio de Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D052816:Foreskin / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012661:Semen; D013030:Spain; D014524:Urethral Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000662:veterinary*