The maintenance diets of C57BL/6J and 129X1/SvJ mice influence their taste solution preferences: implications for large-scale phenotyping projects

Abstract

We examined the extent to which maintenance diet influences the taste preferences of mice. C57BL/6J (B6) and 129X1/SvJ (129) mice were fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, Purina 5001), a cereal-based diet formulated for breeding (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A or AIN-93G). The mice were given 48-h two-bottle choice tests between water and the following seven taste solutions: 2 mmol/L saccharin, 5 mmol/L citric acid, 50 mmol/L citric acid, 30 micro mol/L quinine hydrochloride (QHCl), 300 micro mol/L QHCl, 75 mmol/L NaCl, and 10% ethanol. There were very few differences in taste solution preference scores among mice of the same strain fed the three different versions of standard cereal-based diet. There were also very few differences in taste solution preference scores between mice of the same strain fed the two purified diets. However, the mice fed standard cereal-based diets generally drank more water and total fluid than did mice fed purified diets. There were larger differences between the B6 and 129 strains in saccharin and ethanol preference scores with mice fed standard cereal-based diets than purified diets. Conversely, there were larger differences between the B6 and 129 strains in citric acid and NaCl preference scores with mice fed purified diets than standard cereal-based diets. These results show that maintenance diet composition can have strain-dependent effects on taste solution preference. They illustrate that attention must be paid to the effects of diet on phenotype in screens of mutagenized mice and other genetic studies.

FIGURE 1

Intake of 2 mmol/L saccharin solution, water, and total fluid, and saccharin preference in B6 and 129 mice fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, and Purina 5001), a “breeder” diet (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A and AIN-93G). Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 or 16 per strain for each diet. The following differences were significant (P < 0.01; see also Table 4): Saccharin intake: B6 > 129; standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; B6 fed standard cereal-based diets > B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets: Water intake: B6 < 129; Total intake: B6 > 129; standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; B6 fed standard cereal-based diets > B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets; Saccharin preference: B6 > 129; B6 fed standard cereal-based diets > B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets.

FIGURE 2

Intake of 5 mmol/L citric acid solution, water, and total fluid, and citric acid preference in B6 and 129 mice fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, and Purina 5001), a “breeder” diet (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A and AIN-93G). Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 or 16 per strain for each diet. The following differences were significant (P < 0.01; see also Table 4): Citric acid intake: no differences; Water intake: standard cerealbased diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; B6 fed standard cerealbased diets > B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets; Total intake: standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; Citric acid preference, B6 > 129; B6 fed standard cereal-based diets < B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets.

FIGURE 3

Intake of 30 μmol/L quinine hydrochloride (QHCl) solution, water, and total fluid, and QHCl preference in B6 and 129 mice fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, and Purina 5001), a “breeder” diet (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A and AIN-93G). Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 or 16 per strain for each diet. The following differences were significant (P < 0.01; see also Table 4): QHCl intake: Teklad 8604 > Zeigler NIH-07 or Purina 5001; Water intake: AIN-76A < AIN-93G; standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; Total intake: standard cereal-based diets > purified diets; QHCl preference: Teklad 8604 > Zeigler NIH-07 or Purina 5001; AIN-76A > AIN-93G; 129 fed AIN-76A > 129 fed AIN-93G.

FIGURE 4

Intake of 75 mmol/L NaCl solution, water, and total fluid, and NaCl preference in B6 and 129 mice fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, and Purina 5001), a “breeder” diet (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A and AIN-93G). Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 or 16 per strain for each diet. The following differences were significant (P < 0.01; see also Table 4): NaCl intake: B6 > 129; Water intake: B6 < 129; Purina 5015 < standard cereal-based diets or purified diets; B6 fed standard cereal-based diets > B6 fed Purina 5015 or B6 fed purified diets; Total intake: B6 > 129; Purina 5015 < standard cereal-based diets or purified diets; NaCl preference: B6 > 129; Purina 5015 > standard cereal-based diets or purified diets; B6 fed Teklad 8604 or B6 fed Zeigler NIH-07 < B6 fed AIN-76A or B6 fed AIN-93G; 129 fed Purina 5015 > 129 fed Purina 5001 or 129 fed AIN-76A.

FIGURE 5

Intake of 10% ethanol solution, water, and total fluid, and ethanol preference in B6 and 129 mice fed one of three standard cereal-based diets (Teklad 8604, Zeigler NIH-07, and Purina 5001), a “breeder” diet (Purina 5015), or two purified diets (AIN-76A and AIN-93G). Values are means ± SEM, n = 15 or 16 per strain for each diet. The following differences were significant (P < 0.01; see also Table 4): Ethanol intake: B6 > 129; AIN-76A > AIN-93G; standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; B6 mice fed standard cerealbased diets > B6 mice fed Purina 5015 or B6 mice fed purified diets; Water intake: B6 < 129; 129 mice fed standard cereal-based diets > 129 mice fed Purina 5015; Total intake: standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; Ethanol preference: B6 > 129; AIN-76A > AIN-93G; standard cereal-based diets > Purina 5015 or purified diets; B6 mice fed standard cereal-based diets > B6 mice fed Purina 5015 or B6 mice fed purified diets.