Gene expression profiling of PBMC from petstore mice, C57Bl/6 laboratory mice, and C57Bl/6 laboratory mice cohoused with petstore. Mus musculus

Transcriptional analysis of immunological characteristics of petstore mice, C57Bl/6 laboratory mice, and C57Bl/6 laboratory mice cohoused with petstore. We hypothesized that cohousing would confer a basal transcriptional signature of immune activation to laboratory mice from petstore mice. Comparison of these data with existing human adult vs. neonatal PBMC expression profiling data (GSE27272) revealed close concordance of laboratory mice with human neonates, and of cohoused or petstore mice with human adults. Results highlight the impact of environment on the basal immune state and suggest that restoring physiological microbial exposure in laboratory mice could provide a relevant tool for modeling immunological events in free-living organisms, including humans. Overall design: Total RNA was isolated from PBMC of C57Bl/6 laboratory mice, petstore mice and C57Bl/6 laboratory mice cohoused with petstore mice (at least after 60 days post-cohousing)and transcriptional comparison among 3 groups were performed.