Spontaneous Exocrine Pancreas Hypoplasia in Specific Pathogen-free C3HeB/FeJ and 101/H Mouse Pups Causes Steatorrhea and Runting

• Published in: Comparative medicine Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 210 - 216
• Main Authors: Cheeseman, M.T, Chrobot, N, Fray, M.D, Deeny, A.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 01-04-2007
• Subjects: acinar cells; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Blood Glucose - analysis; congenital abnormalities; genetic disorders; Growth Disorders - diagnosis; Growth Disorders - etiology; Growth Disorders - veterinary; growth retardation; inbred lines; Insulin - blood; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H - abnormalities; Mice, Inbred C3H - microbiology; Mice, Inbred Strains - abnormalities; Mice, Inbred Strains - microbiology; pancreas; pancreas development; Pancreas, Exocrine - abnormalities; Pancreas, Exocrine - microbiology; Pancreas, Exocrine - pathology; pancreatic diseases; pups; Rodent Diseases - diagnosis; Rodent Diseases - etiology; Rodent Diseases - microbiology; specific pathogen-free animals; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; steatorrhea; Steatorrhea - diagnosis; Steatorrhea - etiology; Steatorrhea - veterinary
• ISSN: 1532-0820; 2769-819X

Under specific pathogen-free conditions, 1.3% to 1.8% of litters born in our inbred 101/H and C3HeB/FeJ mouse colonies had pups with steatorrhea and runting. Clinically affected male and female pups were first identified when they were from 14 to 25 d old. Unaffected littermates were healthy and were weaned successfully. Postmortem findings in 8 clinically affected mice included a small, poorly differentiated exocrine pancreas comprising cytokeratin-negative duct-like structures but lacking recognizable acinar cells with their normal carboxypeptidase B-positive zymogen granules. Endocrine pancreas islets were unremarkable and contained insulin-positive beta cells and glucagon-positive alpha cells. There was mild inflammation of the hindgut but no evidence of intestinal pathogens or marked inflammation or necrosis of pancreas, either alone or as part of a multisystemic inflammatory condition. Sera from pups in 4 affected litters did not contain antibodies to reovirus 3, mouse coronavirus, rotavirus, or mouse adenovirus 2. Furthermore, 4 sets of parental mice and sentinel mice from the facility were negative for 13 viruses, bacteria, and parasites. C3HeB/FeJ and 101/H inbred strains may be genetically predisposed because the steatorrhea and runting was absent in 13 other mouse strains and subspecies bred in the specific pathogen-free facility. This condition resembles exocrine pancreas hypoplasia, but the inheritance is complex. A wider implication is that runting coupled with steatorrhea are phenotypic criteria to suspect pancreatic disease that could be used in the context of a mouse N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-mutagenesis program to identify potential mutants with defects in pancreas development.