Improving Reproducibility to Enhance Scientific Rigor through Consideration of Mouse Diet.

Area of Science:

• Laboratory animal science
• Nutritional science
• Biomedical research

Background:

• Experimental rigor in research necessitates detailed reporting of variables.
• Rodent diet is a critical variable that can influence study outcomes.
• Standardized reporting of animal husbandry conditions is often lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of three common rodent diets on C57BL/6J mice.
• To assess effects on growth, behavior, and blood biomarkers.
• To highlight the importance of diet in experimental design and results.

Main Methods:

• Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed Purina 5015, Teklad 2019 (chows), or AIN-76A (purified diet).
• Measurements included body weight, nest building, actigraphy, passive avoidance, ketones, glucose, and amino acid profiles.
• Statistical analyses were performed to determine diet and sex effects.

Main Results:

• Chow diets led to increased body weight in male mice compared to the purified diet.
• No significant behavioral changes were observed across diets or sexes.
• Significant alterations in amino acid profiles were detected, influenced by both sex and diet.

Conclusions:

• Rodent diet is a significant factor affecting physiological outcomes, particularly body weight and metabolic profiles.
• Sex-specific responses to diet were observed in C57BL/6J mice.
• Comprehensive reporting of rodent diet is essential for scientific reproducibility and accurate interpretation of research findings.