Differences in tumour necrosis factor productive ability among rodents.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a critical cytokine involved in immune responses.
• Significant variability exists in TNF production across different animal strains, impacting research outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing TNF production in various mouse and rat strains.
• To compare TNF production capabilities in different animal models, including nude mice.

Main Methods:

• Assessing TNF activity in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in different mouse strains (DDY, CD-1, ICR, DBA/2, Balb/c, C3H/HeJms, A/J, DDD, C57B1/6J).
• Evaluating TNF production in nude mice (ICR nu/nu, Balb/c nu/nu, DDD nu/nu) with and without priming agents like Propionibacterium acnes.
• Examining TNF production in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and Golden hamsters with single LPS injection versus dual stimulation.

Main Results:

• High TNF producers identified: DDY, CD-1, ICR, DBA/2, DDD, C57B1/6J mice.
• Low TNF producers identified: Balb/c, C3H/HeJms, A/J mice.
• ICR nu/nu mice showed the highest TNF activity among nude mice; Balb/c nu/nu and DDD nu/nu mice showed very low activity. Nude mice required higher doses of Propionibacterium acnes.
• SD rats and Golden hamsters produced TNF with single LPS injection, with higher production after Propionibacterium acnes treatment.

Conclusions:

• Animal strain and LPS sensitivity are critical determinants of TNF productive ability.
• Variability in TNF production necessitates careful selection of animal models for immunological studies.
• Dual stimulation with priming agents like Propionibacterium acnes generally enhances TNF production, but single-agent stimulation can be effective in certain species.