1
|
Hohlbaum K, Andresen N, Mieske P, Kahnau P, Lang B, Diederich K, Palme R, Mundhenk L, Sprekeler H, Hellwich O, Thöne-Reineke C, Lewejohann L. Lockbox enrichment facilitates manipulative and cognitive activities for mice. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2024; 4:108. [PMID: 39257918 PMCID: PMC11384198 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.17624.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Background Due to the lack of complexity and variety of stimuli, conventional housing conditions of laboratory mice do not allow these animals to fully express their behavioral repertoire, including manipulative and cognitive activities. Therefore, we designed mechanical puzzles, so-called lockboxes, for mice that can be provided in their home cages. We investigated the impact of the lockbox enrichment on their phenotype and affective state when compared to conventional housing (CH) and super-environmental enrichment (SEE). Methods Young adult female C57BL/6JCrl mice were examined before and after 2-month exposure to the different types of enrichment in a phenotyping test battery, including tests for trait and state anxiety-related behavior, calorimetric measurements, body weight measurements, the analysis of stress hormone metabolite concentrations, and sequential problem-solving abilities with a novel lockbox. At the end of the study, adrenal gland weights were determined and pathohistological evaluation was performed. For all continuous variables, the relative variability was calculated. Results While the different types of enrichment affected trait anxiety-related behavior, neither state anxiety-related behavior nor physiological variables (i.e., bodyweight, resting metabolic rate, stress hormone metabolite concentrations, adrenal gland weights) were influenced. LE improved sequential problem-solving (i.e., solving novel lockboxes) when compared to SEE. Regardless of the housing condition, the relative variability increased in most variables over time, although the coefficient of variation decreased for some variables, especially in animals with access to LE. There was no evidence of toxicopathological effects associated with the material from which the lockboxes were made. Conclusions All lockboxes are available as open-source tool. LE revealed beneficial effects on the affective state of laboratory mice and their performance in solving novel lockboxes. Neither relevant phenotype of the mice nor reproducibility of the data were compromised by LE, similar to SEE. The lockboxes may also be used as novel approach for assessing cognition in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Hohlbaum
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, 12277, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Niek Andresen
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
- Computer Vision and Remote Sensing, Technische Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Paul Mieske
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, 12277, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Pia Kahnau
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, 12277, Germany
| | - Benjamin Lang
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, 12277, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1210, Austria
| | - Lars Mundhenk
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Henning Sprekeler
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Modeling of Cognitive Processes, Technische Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Olaf Hellwich
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Computer Vision and Remote Sensing, Technische Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, 12277, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, 10587, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, 14163, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wilcox RS, Marenda MS, Devlin JM, Wilks CR. Antimicrobial use in laboratory rodent facilities in Australia and New Zealand- a cross-sectional survey of veterinarians and facility managers. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0292908. [PMID: 39178211 PMCID: PMC11343402 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study surveyed veterinarians and facility managers to characterise the use of antimicrobials in laboratory rodent facilities within Australia and New Zealand. Most facilities (71%) reported routine administration of antimicrobials. The indications for antibiotic use reflected those described in publications and differed significantly to reasons for use in non-laboratory animals. Antimicrobials used include those of critical importance to human health, and access to these drugs is unregulated, as prescription-only classes are ordered through research catalogues, without human or veterinary physician prescriptions. The ways in which antimicrobials are used in Australian and New Zealand rodent facilities are likely contributing to antimicrobial resistance within rodent populations, particularly as they are largely administered in drinking water, risking subtherapeutic dosing. Much antimicrobial use reported is unnecessary and could be replaced with changes to husbandry and handling. The generation of resistance in both pathogenic and commensal microbes may also represent a work health and safety issue for humans working with these animals. Reported disposal of antimicrobials included discharge into wastewater, without inactivation, and some respondents reported disposal of substrate, or soiled bedding, nesting material, and disposable enrichment items, from treated animals and medicated feed into landfill, without prior inactivation. Environmental contamination with resistant microbes and antimicrobials is a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance. As such, significant opportunities exist to implement judicious and responsible use of antimicrobials within research rodent facilities in Australia and New Zealand, with a particular focus on instituting aseptic surgery, optimising dosing regimens, and inactivation of medicated water and substrate before disposal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebbecca S. Wilcox
- Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marc S. Marenda
- Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne M. Devlin
- Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin R. Wilks
- Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lüthi N, Rodriguez Perez C, Persson K, Elger BS, Shaw D. Toward Transparency on Animal Experimentation in Switzerland: Seven Recommendations for the Provision of Public Information in Swiss Law. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2154. [PMID: 39123680 PMCID: PMC11311101 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In Switzerland, the importance of transparency in animal experimentation is emphasized by the Swiss Federal Council, recognizing the public's great interest in this matter. Federal reporting on animal experimentation indicates a total of 585,991 animals used in experiments in Switzerland in 2022. By Swiss law, the report enables the public to learn about many aspects such as the species and degree of suffering experienced by the animals, but some information of interest to the public is missing, such as the fate of the animals at the end of the experiment (e.g., euthanized, rehomed in a private home, reused in another experiment). When it comes to animals bred in facilities but not used in experiments, further information of interest is not required to be made public according to Swiss law, for example, the number and fate of "surplus" animals (i.e., animals bred but not used in experiments for a variety of reasons such as not carrying the phenotypical properties needed). Considering that the Swiss government has a duty to provide a full accounting of animal experimentation conducted on the public's behalf, further relevant information should be disclosed. While efforts toward transparency, such as the STAAR Agreement, have been made in the scientific community, these mostly reflect the legal requirements already in force. If Switzerland is to move toward more transparency in public information on animal experimentation, an update of the legal requirements is needed. In this article, we give recommendations for Swiss law to move toward more transparency in public information on seven aspects: (1) the fate of the animals at the end of the experiment; (2) the sources of funding for animal experimentation; (3) the harm-benefit analysis performed by researchers and ethics committees to justify an experiment using animals; (4) the number of breeding/surplus animals; (5) the fate of breeding/surplus animals; (6) the harms experienced by animals in facilities; and (7) the funding of animal facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lüthi
- Faculty of Law, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Kirsten Persson
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland (B.S.E.)
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Bernice Simone Elger
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland (B.S.E.)
- Center of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1000 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David Shaw
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland (B.S.E.)
- Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6229 Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Raymond J, Morin A, Bradley-Garcia M, Plamondon H. Juvenile/Peripubertal Exposure to Omega-3 and Environmental Enrichment Differentially Affects CORT Secretion and Adulthood Stress Coping, Sociability, and CA3 Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression in Male and Female Rats. Nutrients 2024; 16:2350. [PMID: 39064793 PMCID: PMC11279577 DOI: 10.3390/nu16142350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In adult rats, omega-3 supplementation through fish oil (FO) and environmental enrichment (EE) have shown beneficial effects on cognition and stress regulation. This study assessed sex-specific effects of FO and EE during adolescence, a period critical for brain maturation, on adulthood coping mechanisms, sociability, and glucocorticoid regulation. An amount of 64 Wistar rats [n = 32/sex; postnatal day (PND) 23] were assigned to supplementation of control soybean oil (CSO) or menhaden fish oil (FO; 0.3 mL/100 g) from PND28 to 47 and exposed to EE or regular cage (RC) housing from PND28 to 58, with their blood corticosterone (CORT) levels being assessed weekly. As adults, exposure to repeated forced swim tests (FSTs; PND90-91) enabled analysis of coping responses, while socioemotional and memory responses were evaluated using the OFT, EPM, SIT, and Y maze tests (PND92-94). Immunohistochemistry determined hippocampal CA1/CA3 glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression (PND95). CORT secretion gradually increased as the supplementation period elapsed in female rats, while changes were minimal in males. Coping strategies in the FST differed between sexes, particularly in FO-fed rats, where females and males, respectively, favoured floating and tail support to minimise energy consumption and maintain immobility. In the SIT, FO/EE promoted sociability in females, while a CSO diet favoured social recognition in males. Reduced CA3 GR-ir expression was found in FO/RC and CSO/EE rat groups, supporting stress resilience and memory consolidation. Our findings support environment and dietary conditions to exert a sex-specific impact on biobehavioural responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hélène Plamondon
- Behavioural Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (J.R.); (A.M.); (M.B.-G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Carr LM, Mustafa S, Care A, Collins-Praino LE. More than a number: Incorporating the aged phenotype to improve in vitro and in vivo modeling of neurodegenerative disease. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:554-571. [PMID: 38663775 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Age is the number one risk factor for developing a neurodegenerative disease (ND), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD). With our rapidly ageing world population, there will be an increased burden of ND and need for disease-modifying treatments. Currently, however, translation of research from bench to bedside in NDs is poor. This may be due, at least in part, to the failure to account for the potential effect of ageing in preclinical modelling of NDs. While ageing can impact upon physiological response in multiple ways, only a limited number of preclinical studies of ND have incorporated ageing as a factor of interest. Here, we evaluate the aged phenotype and highlight the critical, but unmet, need to incorporate aspects of this phenotype into both the in vitro and in vivo models used in ND research. Given technological advances in the field over the past several years, we discuss how these could be harnessed to create novel models of ND that more readily incorporate aspects of the aged phenotype. This includes a recently described in vitro panel of ageing markers, which could help lead to more standardised models and improve reproducibility across studies. Importantly, we cannot assume that young cells or animals yield the same responses as seen in the context of ageing; thus, an improved understanding of the biology of ageing, and how to appropriately incorporate this into the modelling of ND, will ensure the best chance for successful translation of new therapies to the aged patient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Carr
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sanam Mustafa
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Davies Livestock Research Centre, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Andrew Care
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lyndsey E Collins-Praino
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bhadsavle SS, Scaturro KZ, Golding MC. Maternal 129S1/SvImJ background attenuates the placental phenotypes induced by chronic paternal alcohol exposure. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 126:108605. [PMID: 38735594 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Paternal alcohol use is emerging as a plausible driver of alcohol-related growth and patterning defects. Studies from our lab using an inbred C57Bl/6 J mouse model suggest that these paternally-inherited phenotypes result from paternally programmed deficits in the formation and function of the placenta. The 129S1/SvImJ genetic background is typically more susceptible to fetoplacental growth defects due to strain-specific differences in placental morphology. We hypothesized that these placental differences would sensitize 129S1/SvImJ-C57Bl/6 J hybrid offspring to paternally-inherited fetoplacental growth phenotypes induced by paternal alcohol exposure. Using a limited access model, we exposed C57Bl/6 J males to alcohol and bred them to naïve 129S1/SvImJ dams. We then assayed F1 hybrid offspring for alterations in fetoplacental growth and used micro-CT imaging to contrast placental histological patterning between the preconception treatments. F1 hybrid placentae exhibit larger placental weights than pure C57Bl/6 J offspring but display a proportionally smaller junctional zone with increased glycogen content. The male F1 hybrid offspring of alcohol-exposed sires exhibit modest placental hyperplasia but, unlike pure C57Bl/6 J offspring, do not display observable changes in placental histology, glycogen content, or measurable impacts on fetal growth. Although F1 hybrid female offspring do not exhibit any measurable alterations in fetoplacental growth, RT-qPCR analysis of placental gene expression reveals increased expression of genes participating in the antioxidant response. The reduced placental junctional zone but increased glycogen stores of 129S1/SvImJ-C57Bl/6 J F1 hybrid placentae ostensibly attenuate the previously observed placental patterning defects and fetal growth restriction induced by paternal alcohol use in the C57Bl/6 J strain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanat S Bhadsavle
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Katherine Z Scaturro
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Michael C Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sokolowski K, Turner PV, Lewis E, Wange RL, Fortin MC. Exploring rabbit as a nonrodent species for general toxicology studies. Toxicol Sci 2024; 199:29-39. [PMID: 38374304 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
To avoid adverse events in humans, toxicity studies in nonclinical species have been the foundation of safety evaluation in the pharmaceutical industry. However, it is recognized that working with animals in research is a privilege, and conscientious use should always respect the 3Rs: replacement, reduction, and refinement. In the wake of the shortages in routine nonrodent species and considering that nonanimal methods are not yet sufficiently mature, the value of the rabbit as a nonrodent species is worth exploring. Historically used in vaccine, cosmetic, and medical device testing, the rabbit is seldom used today as a second species in pharmaceutical development, except for embryo-fetal development studies, ophthalmic therapeutics, some medical devices and implants, and vaccines. Although several factors affect the decision of species selection, including pharmacological relevance, pharmacokinetics, and ADME considerations, there are no perfect animal models. In this forum article, we bring together experts from veterinary medicine, industry, contract research organizations, and government to explore the pros and cons, residual concerns, and data gaps regarding the use of the rabbit for general toxicity testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katie Sokolowski
- Safety Assessment, Development Sciences, Denali Therapeutics Inc, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | - Patricia V Turner
- Global Animal Welfare & Training, Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Elise Lewis
- Safety Assessment, Charles River Laboratories, Horsham, Pennsylvania 19044, USA
| | - Ronald L Wange
- Office of New Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, USA
| | - Marie C Fortin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Caine S, Alaverdashvili M, Colbourne F, Muir GD, Paterson PG. A modified rehabilitation paradigm bilaterally increased rat extensor digitorum communis muscle size but did not improve forelimb function after stroke. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302008. [PMID: 38603768 PMCID: PMC11008896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Malnutrition after stroke may lessen the beneficial effects of rehabilitation on motor recovery through influences on both brain and skeletal muscle. Enriched rehabilitation (ER), a combination of environmental enrichment and forelimb reaching practice, is used preclinically to study recovery of skilled reaching after stroke. However, the chronic food restriction typically used to motivate engagement in reaching practice is a barrier to using ER to investigate interactions between nutritional status and rehabilitation. Thus, our objectives were to determine if a modified ER program comprised of environmental enrichment and skilled reaching practice motivated by a short fast would enhance post-stroke forelimb motor recovery and preserve forelimb muscle size and metabolic fiber type, relative to a group exposed to stroke without ER. At one week after photothrombotic cortical stroke, male, Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to modified ER or standard care for 2 weeks. Forelimb recovery was assessed in the Montoya staircase and cylinder task before stroke and on days 5-6, 22-23, and 33-34 after stroke. ER failed to improve forelimb function in either task (p > 0.05). Atrophy of extensor digitorum communis (EDC) and triceps brachii long head (TBL) muscles was not evident in the stroke-targeted forelimb on day 35, but the area occupied by hybrid fibers was increased in the EDC muscle (p = 0.038). ER bilaterally increased EDC (p = 0.046), but not TBL, muscle size; EDC muscle fiber type was unchanged by ER. While the modified ER did not promote forelimb motor recovery, it does appear to have utility for studying the role of skeletal muscle plasticity in post-stroke recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sally Caine
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | - Frederick Colbourne
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Gillian D. Muir
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Phyllis G. Paterson
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
von der Beck B, Wissmann A, Tolba RH, Dammann P, Hilken G. What Can Laboratory Animal Facility Managers Do to Improve the Welfare of Laboratory Animals and Laboratory Animal Facility Staff? A German Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1136. [PMID: 38612375 PMCID: PMC11010866 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Laboratory animal facility managers must ensure that animal experiments can be carried out under optimal scientific conditions, that all legal requirements are met, and that animal welfare is maximized. Animal experimentation is stressful not only for the animals involved but also for the people who maintain these animals or carry out the experiments. Many of those involved find themselves in a constant conflict between scientific necessity, care, and harm. Under the term Culture of Care, procedures have been developed to reduce the burden of animal experimentation on the animals and the staff involved. The focus here is on what laboratory animal facility managers can do to improve the welfare of laboratory animals and the people working with them. Exemplary measures are the improvement of the housing conditions of laboratory animals, the introduction of uniform handling measures, clear and transparent structures via a quality management system, implementation of a no-blame culture of error (e.g., via Critical Incident Reporting System in Laboratory Animal Science [CIRS-LAS]), and open and respectful communication with all parties involved in animal experimentation, including the public and representatives of the authorities (public webpage, open house policy). The 6 Rs must be considered at all times: replacement, reduction, refinement, respect, responsibility, and reproducibility. We are writing this article from the perspective of laboratory animal facility managers in Germany.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Birte von der Beck
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (B.v.d.B.); (A.W.)
| | - Andreas Wissmann
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (B.v.d.B.); (A.W.)
| | - Rene H. Tolba
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science & Experimental Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Philip Dammann
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (B.v.d.B.); (A.W.)
| | - Gero Hilken
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (B.v.d.B.); (A.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Homberg JR, Brivio P, Greven CU, Calabrese F. Individuals being high in their sensitivity to the environment: Are sensitive period changes in play? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105605. [PMID: 38417743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
All individuals on planet earth are sensitive to the environment, but some more than others. These individual differences in sensitivity to environments are seen across many animal species including humans, and can influence personalities as well as vulnerability and resilience to mental disorders. Yet, little is known about the underlying brain mechanisms. Key genes that contribute to individual differences in environmental sensitivity are the serotonin transporter, dopamine D4 receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes. By synthesizing neurodevelopmental findings of these genetic factors, and discussing them through the lens of mechanisms related to sensitive periods, which are phases of heightened neuronal plasticity during which a certain network is being finetuned by experiences, we propose that these genetic factors delay but extend postnatal sensitive periods. This may explain why sensitive individuals show behavioral features that are characteristic of a young brain state at the level of sensory information processing, such as reduced filtering or blockade of irrelevant information, resulting in a sensory processing system that 'keeps all options open'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Corina U Greven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Center, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kitchenham L, MacLellan A, Paletta P, Patel A, Choleris E, Mason G. Do housing-induced changes in brain activity cause stereotypic behaviours in laboratory mice? Behav Brain Res 2024; 462:114862. [PMID: 38216059 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Abnormal repetitive stereotypic behaviours (SBs) (e.g. pacing, body-rocking) are common in animals with poor welfare (e.g. socially isolated/in barren housing). But how (or even whether) poor housing alters animals' brains to induce SBs remains uncertain. To date, there is little evidence for environmental effects on the brain that also correlate with individual SB performance. Using female mice from two strains (SB-prone DBA/2s; SB-resistant C57/BL/6s), displaying two forms of SB (route-tracing; bar-mouthing), we investigated how housing (conventional laboratory conditions vs. well-resourced 'enriched' cages) affects long-term neuronal activity as assessed via cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in 13 regions of interest (across cortex, striatum, basal ganglia and thalamus). Conventional housing reduced activity in the cortex and striatum. However, DBA mice had no cortical or striatal differences from C57 mice (just greater basal ganglia output activity, independent of housing). Neural correlates for individual levels of bar-mouthing (positive correlations in the substantia nigra and thalamus) were also independent of housing; while route-tracing levels had no clear neural correlates at all. Thus conventional laboratory housing can suppress cortico-striatal activity, but such changes are unrelated to SB (since not mirrored by congruent individual and strain differences). Furthermore, the neural correlates of SB at individual and strain levels seem to reflect underlying predispositions, not housing-mediated changes. To aid further work, hypothesis-generating model fit analyses highlighted this unexplained housing effect, and also suggested several regions of interest across cortex, striatum, thalamus and substantia nigra for future investigation (ideally with improved power to reduce risks of Type II error).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Kitchenham
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare/Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aileen MacLellan
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare/Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Council on Animal Care; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; University of Ottawa, Dept. of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
| | - Pietro Paletta
- Dept. of Psychology, Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Sciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashutosh Patel
- Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Dept. of Psychology, Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Sciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Georgia Mason
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare/Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Anup A, Dieterich S, Oreffo ROC, Dailey HL, Lang A, Haffner-Luntzer M, Hixon KR. Embracing ethical research: Implementing the 3R principles into fracture healing research for sustainable scientific progress. J Orthop Res 2024; 42:568-577. [PMID: 38124294 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
As scientific advancements continue to reshape the world, it becomes increasingly crucial to uphold ethical standards and minimize the potentially adverse impact of research activities. In this context, the implementation of the 3R principles-Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement-has emerged as a prominent framework for promoting ethical research practices in the use of animals. This article aims to explore recent advances in integrating the 3R principles into fracture healing research, highlighting their potential to enhance animal welfare, scientific validity, and societal trust. The review focuses on in vitro, in silico, ex vivo, and refined in vivo methods, which have the potential to replace, reduce, and refine animal experiments in musculoskeletal, bone, and fracture healing research. Here, we review material that was presented at the workshop "Implementing 3R Principles into Fracture Healing Research" at the 2023 Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amritha Anup
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Sandra Dieterich
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Richard O C Oreffo
- Bone and Joint Research Group, Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Institute of Developmental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Hannah L Dailey
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Annemarie Lang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katherine R Hixon
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tallent BR, Law LM, Lifshitz J. Partially divided caging reduces overall aggression and anxiety which may indicate improved welfare in group housed male C57BL/6J mice. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:69. [PMID: 38395860 PMCID: PMC10893711 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03918-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Deciding which environmental enrichment is used in mouse caging is often subjective, with cost frequently prevailing over welfare benefits, including aggression and anxiety. While many devices introduced to encourage natural behaviors and reduce aggression show mixed results, we have previously demonstrated significant reductions in aggressive behavior between group-housed male mice housed in partially divided caging. To further assess behavior, we have raised male C57BL/6J mice in either partially divided caging or in standard caging with no divider. Animal behavior was tested on rotarod, open field, novel object recognition, elevated plus maze, and Y maze. Body weights were taken weekly beginning at weaning and bite wounds were counted weekly beginning at 133 days old. Aggressive behavior was recorded weekly beginning at 133 days old. Results indicated significantly less anxiety in the elevated-plus maze, statistically fewer bite wounds, and a statistically significant decrease in aggressive behaviors of mice in partially divided caging compared to mice in standard cages. We conclude that reductions in anxiety, aggressive behavior, and bite wounds may indicate improved overall welfare for non-sibling, group housed male mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bret R Tallent
- Neurotrauma and Social Impact research team, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, BSPB Building, 475 N. 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
| | - L Matthew Law
- Neurotrauma and Social Impact research team, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, BSPB Building, 475 N. 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jonathan Lifshitz
- Neurotrauma and Social Impact research team, Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, BSPB Building, 475 N. 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Farré R, Rodríguez-Lázaro MA, Otero J, Gavara N, Sunyer R, Farré N, Gozal D, Almendros I. Low-cost, open-source device for simultaneously subjecting rodents to different circadian cycles of light, food, and temperature. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1356787. [PMID: 38434139 PMCID: PMC10904513 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1356787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure of experimental rodents to controlled cycles of light, food, and temperature is important when investigating alterations in circadian cycles that profoundly influence health and disease. However, applying such stimuli simultaneously is difficult in practice. We aimed to design, build, test, and open-source describe a simple device that subjects a conventional mouse cage to independent cycles of physiologically relevant environmental variables. The device is based on a box enclosing the rodent cage to modify the light, feeding, and temperature environments. The device provides temperature-controlled air conditioning (heating or cooling) by a Peltier module and includes programmable feeding and illumination. All functions are set by a user-friendly front panel for independent cycle programming. Bench testing with a model simulating the CO2 production of mice in the cage showed: a) suitable air renewal (by measuring actual ambient CO2), b) controlled realistic illumination at the mouse enclosure (measured by a photometer), c) stable temperature control, and d) correct cycling of light, feeding, and temperature. The cost of all the supplies (retail purchased by e-commerce) was <300 US$. Detailed technical information is open-source provided, allowing for any user to reliably reproduce or modify the device. This approach can considerably facilitate circadian research since using one of the described low-cost devices for any mouse group with a given light-food-temperature paradigm allows for all the experiments to be performed simultaneously, thereby requiring no changes in the light/temperature of a general-use laboratory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramon Farré
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Rodríguez-Lázaro
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Otero
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
- The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Gavara
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raimon Sunyer
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Farré
- Discipline of Cardiology, Saolta University Healthcare Group, Galway, Ireland
- School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - David Gozal
- Office of the Dean, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Isaac Almendros
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vogt CC, Zipple MN, Sprockett DD, Miller CH, Hardy SX, Arthur MK, Greenstein AM, Colvin MS, Michel LM, Moeller AH, Sheehan MJ. Female behavior drives the formation of distinct social structures in C57BL/6J versus wild-derived outbred mice in field enclosures. BMC Biol 2024; 22:35. [PMID: 38355587 PMCID: PMC10865716 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01809-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social behavior and social organization have major influences on individual health and fitness. Yet, biomedical research focuses on studying a few genotypes under impoverished social conditions. Understanding how lab conditions have modified social organizations of model organisms, such as lab mice, relative to natural populations is a missing link between socioecology and biomedical science. RESULTS Using a common garden design, we describe the formation of social structure in the well-studied laboratory mouse strain, C57BL/6J, in replicated mixed-sex populations over 10-day trials compared to control trials with wild-derived outbred house mice in outdoor field enclosures. We focus on three key features of mouse social systems: (i) territory establishment in males, (ii) female social relationships, and (iii) the social networks formed by the populations. Male territorial behaviors were similar but muted in C57 compared to wild-derived mice. Female C57 sharply differed from wild-derived females, showing little social bias toward cage mates and exploring substantially more of the enclosures compared to all other groups. Female behavior consistently generated denser social networks in C57 than in wild-derived mice. CONCLUSIONS C57 and wild-derived mice individually vary in their social and spatial behaviors which scale to shape overall social organization. The repeatable societies formed under field conditions highlights opportunities to experimentally study the interplay between society and individual biology using model organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb C Vogt
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Matthew N Zipple
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Daniel D Sprockett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Caitlin H Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Summer X Hardy
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Matthew K Arthur
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Adam M Greenstein
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Melanie S Colvin
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lucie M Michel
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Moeller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Costa CJS, Wadt D, Conti LC, Landi MFDA, Cintra L, de Oliveira FA, Mori CMC. Histological Alterations in the Internal Organs of Wistar Han Rats ( Rattus norvegicus) Euthanized by Five Different Methods. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2024; 63:81-88. [PMID: 38056883 PMCID: PMC10844740 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Selecting a method of euthanasia is an important step in designing research studies that use animals; euthanasia methods must be humane, cause minimal pain and suffering to the animal, and preserve the tissue architecture of the organs of interest. In this study, we evaluated the histomorphology of the internal organs (lung, spleen, heart, kidney, liver, brain, and adrenal gland) of rats submitted to five different methods of euthanasia, with the goal of determining which protocol caused the least alteration of histomorphology. Twenty adult Wistar Han rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into 5 groups of 4 rats each (2 females and 2 males) and were euthanized by CO₂ or isoflurane inhalation, sodium thiopental or xylazine plus ketamine overdose, or decapitation. All euthanasia was performed in accordance with published guidelines and local legal require- ments. Necropsy was performed immediately after euthanasia. Specific internal organs were removed and placed in formalin and submitted for routine histologic processing. Histomorphological examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissues revealed circulatory alterations in multiple organs, predominantly congestion in multiple tissues, pulmonary hemorrhage, and hepatic degeneration. The euthanasia methods that induced the most severe alterations were exposure to CO₂ and anesthetic overdose with xylazine plus ketamine or sodium thiopental. Euthanasia by overexposure to isoflurane caused less damage, and the alterations were of minimal severity. Decapitation resulted in the lowest incidence of lesions in multiple organs but due its traumatic nature, it caused the highest incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage. In selecting a method of euthanasia, factors to consider are the species of animal, the purpose of the research, and the practical ability to perform the procedure to achieve maximal animal welfare without iatrogenic changes that could compromise the outcome and reproducibility of the study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cícero Júlio Silva Costa
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danilo Wadt
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and
| | - Luiza Cesar Conti
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and
| | | | - Luciana Cintra
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Madalena Cabrera Mori
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fedor BA, Sander NH, MacLaren M, Liddle LJ, MacLellan CL, Colbourne F. Motor Rehabilitation Provides Modest Functional Benefits After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Translational Rehabilitation Studies. Transl Stroke Res 2023:10.1007/s12975-023-01205-w. [PMID: 37981635 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-023-01205-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Few certainties exist regarding the optimal type, timing, or dosage of rehabilitation after stroke. Despite differing injury mechanisms and recovery patterns following ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, most translational stroke research is conducted after ischemia. As we enter the era of personalized medicine, exploring subtype-specific treatment efficacy is essential to optimizing recovery. Our objective was to characterize common rehabilitation interventions used after in vivo preclinical intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and assess the impact of post-ICH rehabilitation (vs. no-rehabilitation) on recovery of motor function. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed Central) identified eligible articles published up to December 2022. Risk of bias (SYRCLE) and study quality (CAMARADES) were evaluated, and random-effects meta-analysis was used to assess treatment efficacy in recovery of forelimb and locomotor functions. Thirty articles met inclusion criteria, and 48 rehabilitation intervention groups were identified. Most used collagenase to model striatal ICH in young, male rodents. Aerobic exercise, enriched rehabilitation, and constraint-induced movement therapy represented ~ 70% of interventions. Study quality was low (median 4/10, range 2-8), and risk of bias was unclear. Rehabilitation provided modest benefits in skilled reaching, spontaneous impaired forelimb use, and locomotor function; however, effects varied substantially by endpoint, treatment type, and study quality. Rehabilitation statistically improves motor function after preclinical ICH, but whether these effects are functionally meaningful is unclear. Incomplete reporting and variable research quality hinder our capacity to analyze and interpret how treatment factors influence rehabilitation efficacy and recovery after ICH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britt A Fedor
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
| | - Noam H Sander
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Maxwell MacLaren
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Lane J Liddle
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Crystal L MacLellan
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Frederick Colbourne
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Fitzpatrick R, Romanò N, Menzies J. Exploring Compassion towards Laboratory Animals in UK- and China-Based Undergraduate Biomedical Sciences Students. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3584. [PMID: 38003200 PMCID: PMC10668705 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Taking a compassionate approach to the non-human animals used in biomedical research is in line with emerging ideas around a "culture of care". It is important to expose biomedical sciences students to the concept of a culture of care at an early stage and give them opportunities to explore related practices and ideas. However, there is no simple tool to explore biomedical sciences students' attitudes towards laboratory animals. Accordingly, there is little understanding of students' feelings towards these animals, or a means of quantifying potential changes to these feelings. We developed a 12-item questionnaire designed to explore compassion (the Laboratory Animal Compassion Scale; LACS) and used it with UK-based and China-based samples of undergraduate biomedical sciences students. In the same samples, we also explored a harm-benefit analysis task and students' beliefs regarding some mental characteristics of laboratory animals, then drew correlations with the quantitative measure of compassion. Compassion levels were stable across years of study and were not related to students' level of experience of working with laboratory animals. We observed a higher level of compassion in females versus males overall, and a higher level overall in the UK-based versus China-based sample. In a task pitting animal suffering against human wellbeing, students' compassion levels correlated negatively with their acceptance of animal suffering. Compassion levels correlated positively with a belief in animals being conscious and possessing emotions. These data are in line with studies that show compassion is gender- and nationality/culture-dependent, and points to links between compassion, beliefs, and choices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Fitzpatrick
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK;
| | - Nicola Romanò
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK;
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 310058, China
| | - John Menzies
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK;
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Han PP, Han Y, Shen XY, Gao ZK, Bi X. Enriched environment-induced neuroplasticity in ischemic stroke and its underlying mechanisms. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1210361. [PMID: 37484824 PMCID: PMC10360187 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1210361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease that can interrupt local blood flow in the brain, causing neuronal damage or even death, resulting in varying degrees of neurological dysfunction. Neuroplasticity is an important neurological function that helps neurons reorganize and regain function after injury. After cerebral ischemia, neuroplasticity changes are critical factors for restoring brain function. An enriched environment promotes increased neuroplasticity, thereby aiding stroke recovery. In this review, we discuss the positive effects of the enriched environment on neuroplasticity after cerebral ischemia, including synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and angiogenesis. In addition, we also introduce some studies on the clinical application of enriched environments in the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients, hoping that they can provide some inspiration for doctors and therapists looking for new approaches to stroke rehabilitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Ping Han
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Han
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Ya Shen
- Graduate School of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen-Kun Gao
- Graduate School of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xia Bi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
LaFollette MR, Cloutier S, Brady CM, O’Haire ME, Gaskill BN. Benchmarking Enrichment Efforts in the US & Canada Across Species and Enrichment Categories. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2023; 62:303-316. [PMID: 37197898 PMCID: PMC10434742 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-22-000071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Enrichment is important for animal welfare and data quality. Provision of enrichment opportunities varies between species and enrichment category. However, data benchmarking these differences does not exist. Our objective was to characterize enrichment provision and associated factors across species in the US and Canada. Personnel who work with research animals (n = 1098) in the US and Canada voluntarily responded to online promotions and completed a survey about enrichment used for the species they worked with most, their control of and wish for more enrichment, stress or pain in the animals they worked the most with, and demographics. All participants (except those working with rats) received the same questionnaire regardless of species to allow objectivity, as the effects of many enrichment items on some species have not yet been determined. The questionnaire asked about enrichments that were beneficial to at least one species. The provision of enrichment was allocated into 2 outcome variables: diversity and frequency per enrichment category. Results showed a significant interaction between enrichment category and species. Generally, physical, nutritional, and sensory enrichments were provided less often than social enrichment. In addition, nonhuman primates received more diverse and more frequent enrichment than did other species (twice as much as rats and mice). Enrichment was provided less frequently by personnel who wished they could do more than the status quo. Both enrichment frequency and diversity were higher in respondents from Canada, those who had more control over provision, and those who had been in the field longer. While our results cannot be used to determine the quality of enrichment provided to various species, they do provide information on current enrichment practices in the US and Canada and identify differences in implementation by species and enrichment category. The data also indicate provision of enrichment is influenced by factors such as country and individual control over enrichment. This information can also be used to identify areas for greater enrichment efforts for some species (for example, rats and mice) and categories, with the ultimate goal of improving animal welfare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan R LaFollette
- The 3Rs Collaborative, Denver, Colorado
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | | | - Colleen M Brady
- Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana; and
| | - Marguerite E O’Haire
- Center for the Human-Animal Bond, Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Brianna N Gaskill
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Molloy CJ, Cooke J, Gatford NJF, Rivera-Olvera A, Avazzadeh S, Homberg JR, Grandjean J, Fernandes C, Shen S, Loth E, Srivastava DP, Gallagher L. Bridging the translational gap: what can synaptopathies tell us about autism? Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1191323. [PMID: 37441676 PMCID: PMC10333541 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1191323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple molecular pathways and cellular processes have been implicated in the neurobiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. There is a current focus on synaptic gene conditions, or synaptopathies, which refer to clinical conditions associated with rare genetic variants disrupting genes involved in synaptic biology. Synaptopathies are commonly associated with autism and developmental delay and may be associated with a range of other neuropsychiatric outcomes. Altered synaptic biology is suggested by both preclinical and clinical studies in autism based on evidence of differences in early brain structural development and altered glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission potentially perturbing excitatory and inhibitory balance. This review focusses on the NRXN-NLGN-SHANK pathway, which is implicated in the synaptic assembly, trans-synaptic signalling, and synaptic functioning. We provide an overview of the insights from preclinical molecular studies of the pathway. Concentrating on NRXN1 deletion and SHANK3 mutations, we discuss emerging understanding of cellular processes and electrophysiology from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) models derived from individuals with synaptopathies, neuroimaging and behavioural findings in animal models of Nrxn1 and Shank3 synaptic gene conditions, and key findings regarding autism features, brain and behavioural phenotypes from human clinical studies of synaptopathies. The identification of molecular-based biomarkers from preclinical models aims to advance the development of targeted therapeutic treatments. However, it remains challenging to translate preclinical animal models and iPSC studies to interpret human brain development and autism features. We discuss the existing challenges in preclinical and clinical synaptopathy research, and potential solutions to align methodologies across preclinical and clinical research. Bridging the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies will be necessary to understand biological mechanisms, to identify targeted therapies, and ultimately to progress towards personalised approaches for complex neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ciara J. Molloy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Cooke
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. F. Gatford
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandro Rivera-Olvera
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sahar Avazzadeh
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Joanes Grandjean
- Physiology and Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory, CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, The SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eva Loth
- Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- The Hospital for SickKids, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Grimm H, Biller-Andorno N, Buch T, Dahlhoff M, Davies G, Cederroth CR, Maissen O, Lukas W, Passini E, Törnqvist E, Olsson IAS, Sandström J. Advancing the 3Rs: innovation, implementation, ethics and society. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1185706. [PMID: 37396988 PMCID: PMC10310538 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1185706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The 3Rs principle of replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in science has been gaining widespread support in the international research community and appears in transnational legislation such as the European Directive 2010/63/EU, a number of national legislative frameworks like in Switzerland and the UK, and other rules and guidance in place in countries around the world. At the same time, progress in technical and biomedical research, along with the changing status of animals in many societies, challenges the view of the 3Rs principle as a sufficient and effective approach to the moral challenges set by animal use in research. Given this growing awareness of our moral responsibilities to animals, the aim of this paper is to address the question: Can the 3Rs, as a policy instrument for science and research, still guide the morally acceptable use of animals for scientific purposes, and if so, how? The fact that the increased availability of alternatives to animal models has not correlated inversely with a decrease in the number of animals used in research has led to public and political calls for more radical action. However, a focus on the simple measure of total animal numbers distracts from the need for a more nuanced understanding of how the 3Rs principle can have a genuine influence as a guiding instrument in research and testing. Hence, we focus on three core dimensions of the 3Rs in contemporary research: (1) What scientific innovations are needed to advance the goals of the 3Rs? (2) What can be done to facilitate the implementation of existing and new 3R methods? (3) Do the 3Rs still offer an adequate ethical framework given the increasing social awareness of animal needs and human moral responsibilities? By answering these questions, we will identify core perspectives in the debate over the advancement of the 3Rs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Herwig Grimm
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikola Biller-Andorno
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten Buch
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maik Dahlhoff
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro Models, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gail Davies
- Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - Otto Maissen
- Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Animal Welfare Division, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wilma Lukas
- Innosuisse - Swiss Innovation Agency, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Passini
- National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), London, United Kingdom
| | - Elin Törnqvist
- Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, Swedish National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - I. Anna S. Olsson
- Laboratory Animal Science, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Eraslan E, Castelhano-Carlos MJ, Amorim L, Soares-Cunha C, Rodrigues AJ, Sousa N. Home-cage behavior is impacted by stress exposure in rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1195011. [PMID: 37358966 PMCID: PMC10288110 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1195011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Being social animals, rats exhibit a range of social behaviors that help them build social bonds and maintain group cohesion. Behavior is influenced by multiple factors, including stress exposure, and the expression of the impact of stress on both social and non-social behaviors may also be affected by the living conditions of rats. In this study, we explored the physiological and behavioral effects of chronic unpredictable stress on group-housed rats in the PhenoWorld (PhW), a socially and physically enriched environment closer to real-life conditions. Two independent experiments were performed: one in the control condition (PhW control, n = 8) and one in the stress condition (PhW stress, n = 8). Control animals remained undisturbed except for cage cleaning and daily handling procedures. Stress group animals were all exposed to chronic unpredictable stress. Data confirm that stress exposure triggers anxiety-like behavior in the PhW. In terms of home-cage behaviors, we found that stress affects social behaviors (by decreased playing and increased huddling behaviors) and non-social behaviors (as shown by the decrease in rearing and walking behaviors). These results are of relevance to expand our knowledge on the influence of stress on social and non-social behaviors, which are of importance to understand better species-typical behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evren Eraslan
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Magda João Castelhano-Carlos
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Liliana Amorim
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- P5 Clinical Digital Center, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Soares-Cunha
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- P5 Clinical Digital Center, Braga, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center (2CA), Braga, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Turner PV, Bayne K. Research Animal Behavioral Management Programs for the 21st Century. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1919. [PMID: 37370429 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral management programs have been developed commonly for research dogs and primates but rarely has program consideration been expanded to include all research species worked with. This is necessary to reduce animal stress and promote natural behaviors, which can promote good animal welfare and result in more robust and reproducible scientific data. We describe the evolution of consideration for research animal needs and define an umbrella-based model of research animal behavioral management programs, which may be used for all research species. In addition to developing a more comprehensive program, we emphasize the need for regular welfare assessments to determine whether the program is working cohesively and whether any aspects require modification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia V Turner
- Global Animal Welfare & Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Palumbo G, Kunze LH, Oos R, Wind-Mark K, Lindner S, von Ungern-Sternberg B, Bartenstein P, Ziegler S, Brendel M. Longitudinal Studies on Alzheimer Disease Mouse Models with Multiple Tracer PET/CT: Application of Reduction and Refinement Principles in Daily Practice to Safeguard Animal Welfare during Progressive Aging. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1812. [PMID: 37531139 PMCID: PMC10251952 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal studies on mouse models related to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology play an important role in the investigation of therapeutic targets to help pharmaceutical research in the development of new drugs and in the attempt of an early diagnosis that can contribute to improving people's quality of life. There are several advantages to enriching longitudinal studies in AD models with Positron Emission Tomography (PET); among these advantages, the possibility of following the principle of the 3Rs of animal welfare is fundamental. In this manuscript, good daily experimental practice focusing on animal welfare is described and commented upon, based on the experience attained from studies conducted in our Nuclear Medicine department.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Palumbo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lea Helena Kunze
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 17, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Rosel Oos
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Karin Wind-Mark
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 17, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Peter Bartenstein
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Sibylle Ziegler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Brendel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital LMU Munich, Marchionini Strasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 17, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), 81377 Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Mieske P, Scheinpflug J, Yorgan TA, Brylka L, Palme R, Hobbiesiefken U, Preikschat J, Lewejohann L, Diederich K. Effects of more natural housing conditions on the muscular and skeletal characteristics of female C57BL/6J mice. Lab Anim Res 2023; 39:9. [PMID: 37189184 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-023-00160-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enrichment of home cages in laboratory experiments offers clear advantages, but has been criticized in some respects. First, there is a lack of definition, which makes methodological uniformity difficult. Second, there is concern that the enrichment of home cages may increase the variance of results in experiments. Here, the influence of more natural housing conditions on physiological parameters of female C57BL/6J mice was investigated from an animal welfare point of view. For this purpose, the animals were kept in three different housing conditions: conventional cage housing, enriched housing and the semi naturalistic environment. The focus was on musculoskeletal changes after long-term environmental enrichment. RESULTS The housing conditions had a long-term effect on the body weight of the test animals. The more complex and natural the home cage, the heavier the animals. This was associated with increased adipose deposits in the animals. There were no significant changes in muscle and bone characteristics except for single clues (femur diameter, bone resorption marker CTX-1). Additionally, the animals in the semi naturalistic environment (SNE) were found to have the fewest bone anomalies. Housing in the SNE appears to have the least effect on stress hormone concentrations. The lowest oxygen uptake was observed in enriched cage housing. CONCLUSIONS Despite increasing values, observed body weights were in the normal and strain-typical range. Overall, musculoskeletal parameters were slightly improved and age-related effects appear to have been attenuated. The variances in the results were not increased by more natural housing. This confirms the suitability of the applied housing conditions to ensure and increase animal welfare in laboratory experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Mieske
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Julia Scheinpflug
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Timur Alexander Yorgan
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Laura Brylka
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ute Hobbiesiefken
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Preikschat
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Federal German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Brunt MW, Weary DM. Perceptions of laboratory animal veterinarians regarding institutional transparency. Anim Welf 2023; 32:e32. [PMID: 38487423 PMCID: PMC10936364 DOI: 10.1017/awf.2023.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Institutions using animals for research typically have a veterinarian who is responsible for the veterinary care programme and compliance with regulatory obligations. These veterinarians operate at the interface between the institution's animal research programme and senior management. Veterinarians have strong public trust and are well positioned to share information about animals used for scientific purposes, but their perspectives on sharing information with the public are not well documented and their perceptions of transparency may influence how institutional policies are developed and applied. The objective of our study was to analyse the perceptions of institutional transparency among laboratory animal veterinarians working at different universities. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were used to describe perceptions of 16 attending veterinarians relating to animal research transparency. Three themes were drawn from the interviews: (i) reflections on transparency; (ii) reflections on culture; and (iii) reflections on self. Veterinarians reflected on their personal priorities regarding transparency and when combined with barriers to change within the institutions, sometimes resulted in reported inaction. For example, sometimes veterinarians chose not to pursue available opportunities for change at seemingly willing universities, while others had their initiatives for change blocked by more senior administrators. The sharing of information regarding the animals used for scientific purposes varied in how it was conceptualised by attending veterinarians: (i) true transparency; communication of information for the sake of openness; (ii) strategic transparency; attempt to educate people about animal research because then they will support it; (iii) agenda-driven transparency; selective release of positive stories to direct public opinion; and (iv) fearful non-transparency; not communicating any information for fear of negative opposition to animal research. Transparency was not perceived as an institutional priority by many of the veterinarians and a cohesive action plan to increase transparency that involves multiple universities was identified as a promising avenue to overcome existing barriers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Brunt
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Food and Land Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, V6T 1Z6
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Food and Land Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, V6T 1Z6
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
A mapping review of refinements to laboratory rat housing and husbandry. Lab Anim (NY) 2023; 52:63-74. [PMID: 36759746 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-023-01124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Refining the housing and husbandry of laboratory rats is an important goal, both for ethical reasons and to allow better quality research. We conducted a mapping review of 1,017 studies investigating potential refinements of housing and husbandry of the laboratory rat to assess what refinements have, and have not, been studied, and to briefly assess whether there is evidence to support any impact on rat welfare. Among the many refinements studied, the majority involve changes to the cage, but some also involve alterations to the wider environment. The effects of these refinements were assessed using a range of readouts, many of which are difficult to interpret from a welfare perspective. Preference studies, which are easier to interpret, provide evidence that rats prefer complex environments, including shelters and multiple objects, which offer different areas/resources allowing the rat to engage in diverse behaviors. The reporting of methodology in papers was often poor, indicating that studies were potentially subject to biases. Given that many refinements co-occurred, it was often difficult to tease apart which ones were most beneficial for rat welfare. Effects of refinements were also moderated by a number of factors including age, sex, strain and photoperiod. Altogether our findings show that a one-size-fits-all approach to refinements is not appropriate, because different refinements will impact different rats in different ways. Our review has also produced a database of >1,000 articles that can be used for further and more detailed analyses. Our findings have also highlighted areas where future research is likely to be valuable, including refinements to rat transport, handling and the use of training.
Collapse
|
29
|
Novak J, Jaric I, Rosso M, Rufener R, Touma C, Würbel H. Handling method affects measures of anxiety, but not chronic stress in mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20938. [PMID: 36463282 PMCID: PMC9719500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25090-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in mice have shown that less aversive handling methods (e.g. tunnel or cup handling) can reduce behavioural measures of anxiety in comparison to picking mice up by their tail. Despite such evidence, tail handling continues to be used routinely. Besides resistance to change accustomed procedures, this may also be due to the fact that current evidence in support of less aversive handling is mostly restricted to effects of extensive daily handling, which may not apply to routine husbandry practices. The aim of our study was to assess whether, and to what extent, different handling methods during routine husbandry induce differences in behavioural and physiological measures of stress in laboratory mice. To put the effects of handling method in perspective with chronic stress, we compared handling methods to a validated paradigm of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). We housed mice of two strains (Balb/c and C57BL/6) and both sexes either under standard laboratory conditions (CTRL) or under UCMS. Half of the animals from each housing condition were tail handled and half were tunnel handled twice per week, once during a cage change and once for a routine health check. We found strain dependent effects of handling method on behavioural measures of anxiety: tunnel handled Balb/c mice interacted with the handler more than tail handled conspecifics, and tunnel handled CTRL mice showed increased open arm exploration in the elevated plus-maze. Mice undergoing UCMS showed increased plasma corticosterone levels and reduced sucrose preference. However, we found no effect of handling method on these stress-associated measures. Our results therefore indicate that routine tail handling can affect behavioural measures of anxiety, but may not be a significant source of chronic husbandry stress. Our results also highlight strain dependent responses to handling methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janja Novak
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ivana Jaric
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marianna Rosso
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto Rufener
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Chadi Touma
- grid.10854.380000 0001 0672 4366Department of Behavioural Biology, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Hanno Würbel
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Müller K, Lengheimer T, Kral-Pointner JB, Wojta J, Yeghiazaryan L, Krall C, Palme R, Kleindorfer S, Plasenzotti R, Pollak DD, Tillmann KE. Exposure to soiled bedding reduces abnormal repetitive behaviors in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1062864. [DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1062864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hygiene management protocols in laboratory mouse husbandries worldwide most commonly employ soiled bedding-exposed sentinel mice to monitor the occurrence of infections in mouse colonies. Using this approach, sentinel mice repeatedly receive a mixture of used bedding, supplied by a variety of cages of a defined hygienic unit for a period of several months. Hereby, microorganisms shed in the used bedding can infect the sentinel animals and can be detected in subsequent health monitoring procedures. However, murine excrements carry more than only microorganisms. Mouse feces and urine also contain a multitude of olfactory molecules, which the animals use to code information about social status and context. However, if and how the persistent and repeated experience with these odor cues affects the behavior of sentinel mice, has not yet been explored. To address this question, we conducted a longitudinal study for neurochemical output parameters related to an organism’s responsiveness to challenging conditions, and for the exploratory assessment of a panel of home cage behaviors in soiled bedding and control female C57BL/6J mice. We found that the number of mice showing abnormal repetitive behaviors, including barbering and bar mouthing, was lower in the soiled bedding group. While neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios and fecal corticosterone metabolites did not differ between groups, the within-group variance of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was reduced in the soiled bedding group. These results show that the occurrence of abnormal repetitive behaviors is lower in sentinel than in control mice and suggest a beneficial effect of soiled bedding on the welfare of laboratory mice and on outcome variability.
Collapse
|
31
|
MacLellan A, Nazal B, Young L, Mason G. Waking inactivity as a welfare indicator in laboratory mice: investigating postures, facial expressions and depression-like states. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 36340516 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6251130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Animal welfare assessment relies on valid and practical indicators of affect. In mice, the most widely used research vertebrates, lying still with eyes open, inactive-but-awake (IBA) in the home cage, has potential to be one such indicator. IBA is elevated in barren, conventional housing compared with well-resourced, enriched housing, and predicts immobility in Forced Swim Tests, a common measure of 'helplessness' in depression research. In Experiment 1, using females from three strains (C57BL/6, Balb/c and DBA/2), we first replicated past findings, confirming higher levels of IBA in conventional cages and a positive relationship between IBA and helplessness. We then extended this research to three other signs of depression: changes in weight and sleep, and reduced hippocampal volume. Here, IBA positively covaried with body mass index, with sleep in DBA/2s and conventionally housed BALB/cs, and negatively covaried with hippocampal volume in conventionally housed C57BL/6s. In Experiment 2, we sought to refine the phenotype of IBA to improve its accuracy as a welfare indicator. Here, scoring IBA performed in hunched postures appeared to improve its accuracy as an indicator in Balb/c mice. Additional research is now needed to further refine the phenotype of IBA and to confirm whether it reflects states consistent with depression, or instead other underlying poor welfare conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aileen MacLellan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Basma Nazal
- Formerly Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Lauren Young
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Georgia Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
MacLellan A, Nazal B, Young L, Mason G. Waking inactivity as a welfare indicator in laboratory mice: investigating postures, facial expressions and depression-like states. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:221083. [PMID: 36340516 PMCID: PMC9627452 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Animal welfare assessment relies on valid and practical indicators of affect. In mice, the most widely used research vertebrates, lying still with eyes open, inactive-but-awake (IBA) in the home cage, has potential to be one such indicator. IBA is elevated in barren, conventional housing compared with well-resourced, enriched housing, and predicts immobility in Forced Swim Tests, a common measure of 'helplessness' in depression research. In Experiment 1, using females from three strains (C57BL/6, Balb/c and DBA/2), we first replicated past findings, confirming higher levels of IBA in conventional cages and a positive relationship between IBA and helplessness. We then extended this research to three other signs of depression: changes in weight and sleep, and reduced hippocampal volume. Here, IBA positively covaried with body mass index, with sleep in DBA/2s and conventionally housed BALB/cs, and negatively covaried with hippocampal volume in conventionally housed C57BL/6s. In Experiment 2, we sought to refine the phenotype of IBA to improve its accuracy as a welfare indicator. Here, scoring IBA performed in hunched postures appeared to improve its accuracy as an indicator in Balb/c mice. Additional research is now needed to further refine the phenotype of IBA and to confirm whether it reflects states consistent with depression, or instead other underlying poor welfare conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aileen MacLellan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Basma Nazal
- Formerly Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Lauren Young
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Georgia Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Mieske P, Hobbiesiefken U, Fischer-Tenhagen C, Heinl C, Hohlbaum K, Kahnau P, Meier J, Wilzopolski J, Butzke D, Rudeck J, Lewejohann L, Diederich K. Bored at home?—A systematic review on the effect of environmental enrichment on the welfare of laboratory rats and mice. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:899219. [PMID: 36061113 PMCID: PMC9435384 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.899219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Boredom is an emotional state that occurs when an individual has nothing to do, is not interested in the surrounding, and feels dreary and in a monotony. While this condition is usually defined for humans, it may very well describe the lives of many laboratory animals housed in small, barren cages. To make the cages less monotonous, environmental enrichment is often proposed. Although housing in a stimulating environment is still used predominantly as a luxury good and for treatment in preclinical research, enrichment is increasingly recognized to improve animal welfare. To gain insight into how stimulating environments influence the welfare of laboratory rodents, we conducted a systematic review of studies that analyzed the effect of enriched environment on behavioral parameters of animal well–being. Remarkably, a considerable number of these parameters can be associated with symptoms of boredom. Our findings show that a stimulating living environment is essential for the development of natural behavior and animal welfare of laboratory rats and mice alike, regardless of age and sex. Conversely, confinement and under-stimulation has potentially detrimental effects on the mental and physical health of laboratory rodents. We show that boredom in experimental animals is measurable and does not have to be accepted as inevitable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Mieske
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Hobbiesiefken
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Carola Fischer-Tenhagen
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Céline Heinl
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Hohlbaum
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Pia Kahnau
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennifer Meier
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jenny Wilzopolski
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Butzke
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Rudeck
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Kai Diederich
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Améndola L, Weary D, Zobel G. Effects of personality on assessments of anxiety and cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 141:104827. [PMID: 35970418 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individual variation in responses to commonly used tests of anxiety and spatial memory is often reported. While this variation is frequently considered to be 'noise', evidence suggests that it is, at least partially, related to consistent individual differences in behavioral responses (i.e., personality). The same tests used to assess anxiety are often used to profile personality traits, but personality differences are rarely considered when testing treatment differences in anxiety. Focusing on the rat literature, we describe fundamental principles involved in anxiety and spatial memory tests and we discuss how personality differences and housing conditions can influence behavioral responses in these tests. We propose that an opportunity exists to increase stress resiliency in environmentally sensitive individuals by providing environmental enrichment. We conclude by discussing different approaches to incorporating personality measures into the design and analysis of future studies; given the potential that variation masks research outcomes, we suggest that a strategy which considers the individual and its housing can contribute to improving research reproducibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Améndola
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Daniel Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Gosia Zobel
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team, AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
James CM, Olejniczak SH, Repasky EA. How murine models of human disease and immunity are influenced by housing temperature and mild thermal stress. Temperature (Austin) 2022; 10:166-178. [PMID: 37332306 PMCID: PMC10274546 DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2022.2093561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
At the direction of The Guide and Use of Laboratory Animals, rodents in laboratory facilities are housed at ambient temperatures between 20°C and 26°C, which fall below their thermoneutral zone (TNZ). TNZ is identified as a range of ambient temperatures that allow an organism to regulate body temperature without employing additional thermoregulatory processes (e.g. metabolic heat production driven by norepinephrine), thus leading to mild, chronic cold stress. For mice, this chronic cold stress leads to increased serum levels of the catecholamine norepinephrine, which has direct effects on various immune cells and several aspects of immunity and inflammation. Here, we review several studies that have revealed that ambient temperature significantly impacts outcomes in various murine models of human diseases, particularly those in which the immune system plays a major role in its pathogenesis. The impact of ambient temperature on experimental outcomes raises questions regarding the clinical relevance of some murine models of human disease, since studies examining rodents housed within thermoneutral ambient temperatures revealed that rodent disease pathology more closely resembled that of humans. Unlike laboratory rodents, humans can modify their surroundings accordingly - by adjusting their clothing, the thermostat, or their physical activity - to live within the appropriate TNZ, offering a possible explanation for why many studies using murine models of human disease conducted at thermoneutrality better represent patient outcomes. Thus, it is strongly recommended that ambient housing temperature in such studies be consistently and accurately reported and recognized as an important experimental variable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M. James
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
de Siqueira Mendes FDCC, de Almeida MNF, Falsoni M, Andrade MLF, Felício APG, da Paixão LTVB, Júnior FLDA, Anthony DC, Brites D, Diniz CWP, Sosthenes MCK. The Sedentary Lifestyle and Masticatory Dysfunction: Time to Review the Contribution to Age-Associated Cognitive Decline and Astrocyte Morphotypes in the Dentate Gyrus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116342. [PMID: 35683023 PMCID: PMC9180988 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As aging and cognitive decline progresses, the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on the appearance of environment-dependent cellular morphologies in the brain becomes more apparent. Sedentary living is also associated with poor oral health, which is known to correlate with the rate of cognitive decline. Here, we will review the evidence for the interplay between mastication and environmental enrichment and assess the impact of each on the structure of the brain. In previous studies, we explored the relationship between behavior and the morphological features of dentate gyrus glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes during aging in contrasting environments and in the context of induced masticatory dysfunction. Hierarchical cluster and discriminant analysis of GFAP-positive astrocytes from the dentate gyrus molecular layer revealed that the proportion of AST1 (astrocyte arbors with greater complexity phenotype) and AST2 (lower complexity) are differentially affected by environment, aging and masticatory dysfunction, but the relationship is not straightforward. Here we re-evaluated our previous reconstructions by comparing dorsal and ventral astrocyte morphologies in the dentate gyrus, and we found that morphological complexity was the variable that contributed most to cluster formation across the experimental groups. In general, reducing masticatory activity increases astrocyte morphological complexity, and the effect is most marked in the ventral dentate gyrus, whereas the effect of environment was more marked in the dorsal dentate gyrus. All morphotypes retained their basic structural organization in intact tissue, suggesting that they are subtypes with a non-proliferative astrocyte profile. In summary, the increased complexity of astrocytes in situations where neuronal loss and behavioral deficits are present is counterintuitive, but highlights the need to better understand the role of the astrocyte in these conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabíola de Carvalho Chaves de Siqueira Mendes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Curso de Medicina, Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará, Belém 66613-903, PA, Brazil
| | - Marina Negrão Frota de Almeida
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Manoela Falsoni
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Lorena Ferreira Andrade
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - André Pinheiro Gurgel Felício
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Luisa Taynah Vasconcelos Barbosa da Paixão
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Fábio Leite do Amaral Júnior
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK;
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Affiliation(s)
- V Neville
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
| | - B Lecorps
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
| | - M Mendl
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ratuski AS, Weary DM. Environmental Enrichment for Rats and Mice Housed in Laboratories: A Metareview. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040414. [PMID: 35203123 PMCID: PMC8868396 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Environmental enrichment has been widely studied with laboratory rodents, but there is no consensus regarding what counts as enrichment or what it should achieve. Inconsistent use of the term “enrichment” creates challenges in drawing conclusions about the quality of an environment. We conducted a metareview to better understand the definitions and goals of enrichment, perceived risks or requirements of enrichment, and what forms of enrichment have previously been endorsed for use with rodents housed in laboratories. This may help researchers and animal care staff to better define their chosen approach and intended outcomes when providing environmental enrichment. Abstract Environmental enrichment has been widely studied in rodents, but there is no consensus on what enrichment should look like or what it should achieve. Inconsistent use of the term “enrichment” creates challenges in drawing conclusions about the quality of an environment, which may slow housing improvements for laboratory animals. Many review articles have addressed environmental enrichment for laboratory rats and mice (Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus). We conducted a metareview of 29 review articles to assess how enrichment has been defined and what are commonly described as its goals or requirements. Recommendations from each article were summarised to illustrate the conditions generally considered suitable for laboratory rodents. While there is no consensus on alternative terminology, many articles acknowledged that the blanket use of the terms “enriched” and “enrichment” should be avoided. Environmental enrichment was most often conceptualised as a method to increase natural behaviour and improve animal welfare. Authors also commonly outlined perceived risks and requirements of environmental enrichment. We discuss these perceptions, make suggestions for future research, and advocate for the adoption of more specific and value-neutral terminology.
Collapse
|