DW

Inbr: F110 (J). Grey. Genet: a, ln. Carries dwarf (dw) mutation with forced heterozygosity. dw mutation arose in a stock of silver mice obtained by Snell from an English fancier before 1929. Established by Jackson Laboratory in 1966 from stock supplied by Lane.

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Characteristics

The dwarf mutation causes a reduction in acidophils and thyrotrophin-producing cells of the anterior pituitary. Mutant mice have a variety of anatomical, cytological and physiological defects due to deficiency of anterior pituitary hormone, including reduced growth and organ development and infertility. Pituitary homografts or injections of growth hormone and/or prolactin partially reverse some of these defects. Dwarf mice are almost tumour-free, whereas their normal litter mates have a high incidence of a range of tumours. However, dwarf mice also have a shorter life-span. Deficiencies of RNA metabolism in the liver have been noted (Chen et al., 1972a, 1972a). Dwarf DW mice have a lower expression of group-specific antigen to endogenous C-type RNA tumour virus than normal litter mates, which have 45-61% incidence of reticulum cell sarcoma (Chen et al., 1972b, 1972b). A complete bibliography of the strain from 1967 to 1973 has been given by Richardson (1973). The effects of prolactin on activity of 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase has been studied by Musto et al. (1972).

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Chen H. W., Hamer D. H., Heiniger H. J., and Meier H. (1972a) Stimulation of hepatic RNA synthesis in dwarf mice by ovine prolactin. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 287, 90-97.

Chen H. W., Meier H., Heiniger H. J., and Huebner R. J. (1972b) Tumorigenesis in strain DW/J mice and induction by prolactin of the group-specific antigen of endogenous C-type RNA tumour virus. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 49, 1145-1154.

Musto N., Hafiez A. A., and Bartke A. (1972) Prolactin increases 17 - hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in the testis. Endocrinol. 91, 1106-1108.

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INBRED STRAINS OF MICE
Updated 9 Apr. 1998
Michael FW Festing
MRC Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building,
University of Leicester, UK