Experimental murine amyloidosis. Evaluation of induction methods and strain difference.

Several experimental methods inducing murine amyloidosis were tested using six strains of mice including congential asplenic mice and athymic nude mice. Traditional induction method of amyloidosis by casein injections failed to cause amyloidosis in C3H/He mice. Single injection with complete Freund's adjuvant reinforced with Mycobacterium butyricum was also unable to induce amyloidosis in C3H/He, CBA, and BALB/c mice. Six or four injections with complete Freund's adjuvant at an interval of once a week successfully induced amyloidosis in CBA mice with high incidence but not in C3H/He, ICR/SLC, and BALB/c mice. Athymic nude mice with genetic background of BALB/c and congenitial asplenic mice, cross-bred with C57BL/6 X C3H, were free from amyloidosis after six or fourteen injections with the adjuvant. Experimental amyloidosis in mice, therefore, might mainly depend on the strain of mice used and the induction method chosen.