Evaluation of tarsal injuries in C57BL/6J male mice.

Authors

Brenda Kick, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Laura C. Anderson, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Rosalinda A. Doty, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Christine Wooley, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Meaghan E Dyer, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Torrian L Green, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Veronica Knickerbocker, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Zoe Brown, The Jackson Laboratory
Samantha Loeber
Janine M Wotton, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Bonnie L. LyonsFollow
Linda L Waterman, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow
Zoë Bichler, The Jackson LaboratoryFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Original Citation

Kick B, Anderson LC, Doty RA, Wooley C, Dyer M, Green T, Knickerbocker V, Brown Z, Loeber S, Wotton J, Lyons BL, Waterman L, Bichler Z. Evaluation of tarsal injuries in C57BL/6J male mice. PLoS One. 2023;18(6):e0287204

Keywords

JMG, Mice, Male, Animals, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Motor Activity, Frailty, Morphine, Pain

JAX Source

PLoS One. 2023;18(6):e0287204

ISSN

1932-6203

PMID

37363910

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287204

Abstract

Tarsal joint abnormalities have been observed in aged male mice on a C57BL background. This joint disease consists of calcaneal displacement, inflammation, and proliferation of car- tilage and connective tissue, that can progress to ankylosis of the joint. While tarsal pathol- ogy has been described previously in C57BL/6N substrains, as well as in STR/ort and B10. BR strain, no current literature describes this disease occurring in C57BL/6J mice. More importantly the behavioral features that may result from such a change to the joint have yet to be evaluated. This condition was observed in older male mice of the C57BL/6J lineage, around the age of 20 weeks or older, at a frequency of 1% of the population. To assess potential phenotypic sequela, this study sought to evaluate body weight, frailty assessment, home cage wheel running, dynamic weight bearing, and mechanical allodynia with and with- out the presence of pain relief with morphine. Overall mice with tarsal injuries had signifi- cantly higher frailty scores (p< 0.05) and weighed less (p<0.01) compared to unaffected mice. Affected mice had greater overall touch sensitivity (p<0.05) and they placed more weight on their forelimbs (p<0.01) compared to their hind limbs. Lastly, when housed with a running wheel, affected mice ran for a shorter length of time (p<0.01) but tended to run a greater distance within the time they did run (p<0.01) compared to unaffected mice. When tested just after being given morphine, the affected mice performed more similarly to unaf- fected mice, suggesting there is a pain sensation to this disease process. This highlights the importance of further characterizing inbred mouse mutations, as they may impact research programs or specific study goals.

Comments

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