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Association between immune response and body conformation in the mouse (Mus musculus)

O. Graciela Scharovsky^I; Guillermo C. Celoria^I; Amelia L. Racca^II; Maria Teresa Font^I

^IDepartamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 2000 Rosario, República Argentina. Send correspondence to M.T.F.
^IIDepartamento de Patologia, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 2000 Rosario, República Argentina

ABSTRACT

Humoral immune response (HIR) to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and the behaviour of a transplantable mouse lymphoma (L-DGE) were investigated in four lines of mice (CBi⁺, CBi,CBi/Cand CBi/L) with different body conformations, and in the base population (CBi) from which these lines were denved.
CBi⁺ (high weight-long tail) and CBi (low weight-short tail) mice, selected for a phenotypic correlation between body weight and tail length, had similar HIR to SRBC and tumor behavior (percentages of takes and tumor regression) and did not differ from the base population CBi. CBi/C (high weight-short tail) and CBi/L (low weight-long tail) mice, selected for negative phenotypic correlation, showed a significant difference in HIR to SRBC and in tumor behaviour between the two of them and with CBi. Ten days after antigenic challenge, CBi/C had the highest hemagglutinin titers (6.49) to SRBC and a great capacity of tumor rejection (97.2%); CBi/L had the lowest values of hemagglutinin (4.75) and 68% tumor regression.
CBi/C and CBi/L mice also differ in the amount of fat deposition, skeletal morphology, biochemical properties and bone quality of the femur. In view of these findings and the results of the present experiments it is suggested that in the antagonistic selection, genes that regulate growth, development and immune response including those on chromosome 17 were subjected to recombinations, though other chromosomes, could also be involved.

Keywords: Immune response; Body conformation; Mus musculus.

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