Diversity Outbred: A New Generation of Mouse Model

Most of the mice used for testing the toxic effects of chemicals and drugs are genetically inbred with a long history in the laboratory.1 But toxicologists are increasingly turning to newer mouse models that more accurately mimic the genetic diversity of the human population. Investigators with the National Toxicology Program (NTP) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have now reported that one such model—the Diversity Outbred (DO) mouse model—varies widely in its susceptibly to benzene, a known cause of human leukemia.2 The results demonstrate the model’s improved capacity for identifying subtle chemical effects and lend further credibility to the use of DO mice in toxicology research and safety assessment, according to lead author John E. French, a toxicologist specializing in toxicogenetics formerly with NTP and now an adjunct professor in the Center for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.The use of genetically identical mice in toxicology studies can make it tricky to extrapolate findings to people. A new mouse model known as the Diversity Outbred better reflects the genetic diversity of the human population, offering intriguing possibilities ...