Hi Sara,

Nude mice have a mutation in the gene FOXN1 which results in lack of fur. Since FOXN1 is very crucial for the development of thymus and several immune response especially T cell mediated response these mice completely lack thymus (which produces T cells). Because of the above mentioned defect these mice cannot mount a efficient immune response. Because of this they engraft the tumor cells. The FOXN1nu/nu mice is available in various strains of mice (BALB/C, C57BL/6 etc.)

Since you already found that the T98G cell line is not tumorigenic to nude mice. I would suggest you to use NOD.SCID (Far better than the NUDE mice for the engraftment of tumor) or NOD.SCID IL2R mice (The best immunodeficient mice available as of now).

Thanks

Ram

Dear Sara,

T98G GBM cells grow in nude mice.

See the attached article.

Best regards

Robert

Try using NOD.SCID IL2R mice

How we can distinguish balbc and non balbc mice from its appearance!

Nude mice, also known as athymic nude mice, are a strain of mice that have a genetic mutation resulting in a deficient immune system. This mutation affects the development of the thymus, leading to a lack of mature T cells. As a result, nude mice have impaired immune responses and are unable to reject foreign tissues or tumors.

Balb/c nude mice, on the other hand, are a specific strain of nude mice derived from the Balb/c genetic background. The Balb/c strain is commonly used in research and has its own unique characteristics. Balb/c nude mice have the same immunodeficient phenotype as nude mice in general but possess additional genetic traits inherited from the Balb/c strain.

Regarding the issue you mentioned with the T98G cell line not forming tumors in nude mice, it's important to note that tumor formation can vary depending on several factors including the specific cell line, passage number, injection site, and host immune system. While T98G cells are generally known to be tumorigenic in immunocompromised mouse models, such as nude mice, there can be instances where certain batches or conditions may result in reduced tumor formation.

In some papers where T98G cells were successfully used to establish brain tumors in mice, the authors might have employed the Balb/c nude mice strain specifically for their research. It's possible that the genetic background of Balb/c nude mice, combined with the specific characteristics of the T98G cells used in those studies, facilitated tumor formation.

Additionally, verifying the authenticity and characteristics of your T98G cell line, as well as optimizing experimental conditions and injection protocols, could be crucial in achieving successful tumor formation in nude mice.

As the previous expert mentioned, an alternative option for your study could be to use NOD SCID or NSG mice, as they exhibit greater immune compromise compared to nude mice. These strains are known for their reduced immune function, which enhances the acceptance of tumor grafts in experimental models. By utilizing NOD SCID or NSG mice, you may increase the likelihood of successful tumor engraftment for your T98G cell line study.Top of Form

The BALB/c nude mice and general nude mice differ primarily in their genetic background:

1. **Strain Background**: BALB/c nude mice are a specific strain of nude mice with a BALB/c genetic background. This background can influence various physiological and immunological traits.

2. **Mutation**: Both BALB/c nude mice and other nude mice strains carry the "nude" mutation (Foxn1nu), which results in a lack of hair and an underdeveloped or absent thymus.

3. **Immune System**: The absence of a functional thymus in both types of nude mice leads to an immunodeficient status, specifically a lack of T cells. However, the extent of immunodeficiency can vary due to the different genetic backgrounds.

4. **Research Use**: BALB/c nude mice are often chosen for research due to their well-characterized background, which is important for reproducibility and consistency in experiments.

5. **Other Traits**: Other phenotypic and physiological traits can differ between BALB/c nude mice and nude mice from different strains due to the genetic variation inherent to their strain backgrounds.

When selecting a mouse model for research, it's important to consider how the genetic background may influence the results of your studies, especially in fields like oncology, immunology, and developmental biology.

This list of protocols might help us better address the issue.