Baseline tumor growth and immune control in laboratory mice are significantly influenced by subthermoneutral housing temperature.

ABSTRACT: We show here that fundamental aspects of antitumor immunity in mice are significantly influenced by ambient housing temperature. Standard housing temperature for laboratory mice in research facilities is mandated to be between 20-26 °C; however, these subthermoneutral temperatures cause mild chronic cold stress, activating thermogenesis to maintain normal body temperature. When stress is alleviated by housing at thermoneutral ambient temperature (30-31 °C), we observe a striking reduction in tumor formation, growth rate and metastasis. This improved control of tumor growth is dependent upon the adaptive immune system. We observe significantly increased numbers of antigen-specific CD8(+) T lymphocytes and CD8(+) T cells with an activated phenotype in the tumor microenvironment at thermoneut

SUBMITTER: Kokolus KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3864348 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature