Inbred and Outbred Mice Have Equivalent Variability in a Cockroach Allergen-Induced Model of Asthma

摘要

Outbredmicetraditionallyareconsideredtodisplayhighvariability,therebylimitingtheiruseinsomestudies.Researchersfrequentlyareencouragedtouseinbredstrainsofmicebecauseofthegreaterhomogeneityoftheseexperimentalanimals.WecomparedthepulmonaryinflammatoryresponseofinbredBALB/cJmicetothatofoutbredHSD-ICRmicebymeasuringmultiplevariables,includingcytokines,chemokines,numberofpulmonaryinflammatorycells,andrespiratoryparameters.CockroachallergensinducedsignificantpulmonaryinflammationinbothBALBandICRmice.Ourcomparisonsofthecoefficientsofvariancefor148discretedatasetsforeachstrainorstockindicatedthatBALBandICRmicehaveroughlyequivalentintrastrainor-stockvariabilityinourmodelofasthma-likepulmonaryinflammation.Theaveragecoefficientofvariance,calculatedastheratiooftheSDtothemeanofadataset,was0.35±0.34forBALBmicecomparedwith0.31±0.32forICRmice.Inconclusion,inbredBALBandoutbredICRmicehaveroughlyequivalentintrastrainor-stockvariabilityinamurinemodelofasthma-likepulmonaryinflammation.