Lack of B cell leakiness in BALB/cA-nu, scid double mutant mice

Exp Anim. 2001 Jan;50(1):67-72. doi: 10.1538/expanim.50.67.

Abstract

BALB/cA mice homozygous for both nu and scid mutations (BALB/cA-nu/nu, scid/scid) were developed by mating between BALB/cA-scid and BALB/cA-nu. These mice have greater longevity than C.B-17-scid because no thymic lymphoma occurs in them unlike in the latter. C.B-17-scid is known to show the leaky phenomenon in which a few clones of functional T and B cells develop in aged C.B-17-scid. Unexpectedly, the leaky B cells and T cells were absent or suppressed in BALB/cA-nu, scid mice when cytokine expressions were determined by RT-PCR, lymphocyte phenotypes by flow cytometry and serum immunoglobulin levels by ELISA. These results indicate that B cell leakiness may be induced by leaked T cells. BALB/cA-nu, scid mice may be useful as a recipient in allo- and xeno-transplantation experiments because of the absence of both thymic lymphomas and leakiness, in addition to lack of hair.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Immunoglobulins / blood
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics
  • Longevity
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Lymphoma
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mice, SCID
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Thymus Neoplasms

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-6
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma