Development of a congeneic line of the GR mouse strain without early mammary tumours

Based on the previous observation that Mtv-2 controls the appearance of pregnancy-dependent mammary tumours and the early expression of mammary tumour virus (MTV)-antigens in the milk, an attempt was made to develop a congeneic GR line, without this locus, by introducing genetic material of the C57BL/10 strain. The cross-intercross system was used for this purpose. The mice of the even-numbered generations were selected for the absence of the Mtv-2 locus with the early maammary tumour (EMT) test and during the later cycles with the immunodiffusion (ID) test for MTV-antigens in the milk. After six cycles of cross-intercross, brother-sister mating was started with mice selected for the absence of Mtv-2. After two brother-sister matings the milk-transmitted MTV was eliminated by foster-nursing. Of the foster-nursed subline 233 mice (16 of the first, 118 of the second and 99 of the third generation) were tested for the presence of Mtv-2 with one or two of the following three methods: (1) ID-test, (2) EMT-test and (3) by examination of the development of spontaneous mammary tumours in breeding females. The tests were negative in 226 mice. This indicates that Mtv-2 was absent in nearly all mice of the congeneic subline. The positive reactions in the seven other tested mice were weaker than that observed in the GR strain and in GR mice foster-nursed by BALB/c. The presence of the Mtv-2 gene in the seven positive mice of the congeneic line is doubtful. With the ID test, viral antigens were detectable in 50% of the milk samples from the first lactation period of mice of the segregating backcross I population [GR congeneic X (GR congeneic X GR)], indicating a one-gene difference between the congeneic GR line and the progenitor GR strain.