Two inbred strains of mice with high and low mammary tumor potentials established from the same basal stock of Swiss albino (SHN and SLN): history of mammary tumorigenesis and reproduction after the 30th generation of full-sib mating

Abstract

We established SHN and SLN strains of mice with a high and a low mammary tumor potentials from the same basal stock of Swiss albino. The selection history of females (mothers) for subsequent generations, mammary tumorigenesis and reproduction up to recent generations are presented and compared with the results up to F30 published in 1979. The changes with generation of each parameter varied in both strains except the conditions of female (mother) selection for subsequent generations, which were generally constant. However, the fluctuations in parameters up to F30 became generally smaller with advancing generations. Based on the fluctuations from generation to generation of mammary tumorigenic and reproductive parameters, an interdependency between mammary tumor potential and reproductivity is suggested in SLN, but less so in SHN. The pup growth rate was increased and associated with selection for mammary tumorigenesis in SHN; this parameter is usually used as an indicator of mother lactational performance in mice. The significance of selection for mammary tumor potential in association with reproductivity was further discussed.