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Environmental regulation of T-cell function in mice: group housing of males affects accessory cell function
I S Grewal1, M Heilig, A Miller
1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Insights
Housing conditions significantly impact male mice immunity. Individual housing boosts T-cell responses and antigen-presenting cell function, approaching female levels, unlike group housing.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Animal Behavior
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Social housing in animal models can influence physiological responses.
- Immune function is known to be sensitive to environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of housing density on immune responses in male mice.
- To determine the cellular mechanisms underlying housing-induced immune modulation.
Main Methods:
- Comparing T-cell proliferative responses in lymph node cells from group-housed versus individually housed male mice.
- Assessing the efficiency of splenic antigen-presenting cells (APC) in different housing conditions.
- Utilizing hen lysozyme (HEL)-primed C57BL/6 male mice.
Main Results:
- Group-housed males exhibited significantly lower T-cell responses compared to females.
- Individually housed males showed T-cell responses comparable to females after 4-15 weeks.
- Antigen-presenting cell function was reduced in group-housed males but enhanced in individually housed males, reaching female levels.
Conclusions:
- Environmental manipulation, specifically housing density, profoundly modulates cellular immunity in male mice.
- Antigen-presenting cell function is a key cellular target for housing-induced immune modulation.
- Individual housing can restore immune function in male mice to levels observed in females.
Abstract:
The number of mice housed in a cage was found to exert a major impact on immune function in male mice. Lymph node cells from hen lysozyme (HEL)-primed C57BL/6 male mice, housed in groups of 6/cage or individually, were tested for T-cell proliferative response. Group-housed males showed markedly lower responses than age-matched females. However, in males housed singly for 4-15 weeks, responses were considerably higher, approaching those of female controls. To examine the cellular site of action of the housing effect, the efficiency of splenic antigen-presenting cells (APC) was examined. APC from grouped males were considerably less efficient than APC from females, whereas males housed singly had increased APC function, reaching female levels. Our results demonstrate that environmental manipulation can profoundly modulate cellular immunity, and provide a first mechanistic indication that APC function is a major target for this modulation.
