Overview
DBA/1LacJ, also know as D1Lac or DBA1Lac, is an inbred strain of mouse, a member of DBA strain family, that is noted for its use in the study of arthritis.[1]
History
The ancestral DBA strain is the oldest of all inbred model mouse strains. It was derived from inbreeding carried out in a mouse colony by Little in 1909. The DBA/1 strain was established in 1929 during a series of substrain crosses. DBA/1 mice were sent to Mider and Woolley in 1938, and then to Mider and Heston, before reaching the Jackson Laboratory in 1948.[2][3]
The DBA/1LacJ variant was created when a stock of DBA/1 mice passed from the Jackson Laboratory to the Laboratory Animal Centre (hence Lac) in 1955. The Jackson Laboratory recovered frozen embryos from the Laboratory Animal Centre in 1981, where Les fostered them on C57BL/6J and created the current main DBA/1LacJ stock.[3]
Behavioral Characteristics & Handling
The Jackson Laboratory Handbook warns that DBA/1LacJ mice can be jumpy, especially when very young. Hence, researchers requiring a very docile strain of mouse may want to avoid DBA/1LacJ. The handbook does, however, describe them as good parents.[3]
No studies looking at the behavior of DBA/1LacJ in mazes or similar apparatus could be found. However, according to analyses of a large number of genetic markers, there are no significant genetic differences between DBA/1LacJ and DBA/1J and so all behavioral notes that apply to DBA/1J should also be expected to apply to DBA/LacJ (e.g. apparent anhedonia in the sucrose preference test).[1][3]
Health Characteristics
Like DBA/1, DBA/1LacJ are noted for their susceptibility to developing arthritis and autoimmunity in response to injection with type II collagen. The symptoms of this condition are similar to those of human patients, namely loss of bone and cartilage, as well as inflammation of the synovial membrane. The susceptibility is associated with the presence of certain MHC II molecules.[1]
After an extended period on an atherogenic diet, DBA/1LacJ mice are less susceptible than average to developing atherosclerotic lesions. Finally, like many inbred strains DBA/1LacJ possess the ahl allele of the protein cahderin 23 leading to progressive hearing loss that begins around 10 months of age.[1][3]
Major Experimental Uses
As with other mice in the DBA family, DBA/1LacJ are suitable for a wide range of different research applications. They have most frequently been used in research on arthritis and neurobiology. In general, DBA/1J and DBA/LacJ should be interchangeable in terms of application.[1]
More recent studies have shown that arthritis induction in DBA/1LacJ is not as robust as previously believed. The Jackson Laboratory thus recommends that arthritis researchers may want to use BUB/BnJ or B10.RIII-H2r H2-T18b/(71NS)SnJ instead.[1]
References
- 001140 – DBA/1LacJ. 2019. 001140 – DBA/1LacJ. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.jax.org/strain/001140. [Accessed 29 September 2019].
- MGI – Inbred Strains: DBA. 2019. MGI – Inbred Strains: DBA. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.informatics.jax.org/inbred_strains/mouse/docs/DBA.shtml. [Accessed 29 September 2019].
- The Jackson Laboratory Handbook on Genetically Standardized Mice. 6th ed. 2009. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://jackson.jax.org/rs/444-BUH-304/images/JAX%20Handbook%20Genetically%20Standardized%20Mice.pdf.