Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer
Due to late-stage diagnoses and limited treatment options, pancreatic cancer is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2030. Many different murine models were developed over the past decades to test new therapies for this tumor entity. The laws and regulations demand the contin...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/9/1241 |
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| author | Jakob Brandstetter Lisa Hoffmann Ingo Koopmann Tim Schreiber Benjamin Schulz Stephan Patrick Rosshart Dietmar Zechner Brigitte Vollmar Simone Kumstel |
| author_facet | Jakob Brandstetter Lisa Hoffmann Ingo Koopmann Tim Schreiber Benjamin Schulz Stephan Patrick Rosshart Dietmar Zechner Brigitte Vollmar Simone Kumstel |
| author_sort | Jakob Brandstetter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to late-stage diagnoses and limited treatment options, pancreatic cancer is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2030. Many different murine models were developed over the past decades to test new therapies for this tumor entity. The laws and regulations demand the continuous refinement of animal experiments in order to improve animal welfare sustainably. A key aspect here is the definition of early humane endpoint criteria to avoid severe and lasting suffering of the animals through timely euthanasia. The present study analyzed the welfare of mice in different pancreatic cancer models, various mouse strains, and under different therapeutic interventions in preclinical testing. Their welfare was monitored before any intervention, during tumor progression, and on the days before the individual humane endpoint for each mouse by assessing body weight change, distress score, perianal temperature, burrowing behavior, nesting activity, and mouse grimace scale. The data was retrospectively analyzed via receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to quantify the predictability of each parameter for humane endpoint determination. Burrowing behavior proved to be a robust predictor of the humane endpoint two days in advance under various conditions, including diverse pancreatic cancer models and different therapeutic approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-61fa26c8b65c404cade577678ab0f511 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-61fa26c8b65c404cade577678ab0f5112025-08-20T01:49:20ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-04-01159124110.3390/ani15091241Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic CancerJakob Brandstetter0Lisa Hoffmann1Ingo Koopmann2Tim Schreiber3Benjamin Schulz4Stephan Patrick Rosshart5Dietmar Zechner6Brigitte Vollmar7Simone Kumstel8Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyDepartment of Microbiome Research, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyRudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, GermanyDue to late-stage diagnoses and limited treatment options, pancreatic cancer is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2030. Many different murine models were developed over the past decades to test new therapies for this tumor entity. The laws and regulations demand the continuous refinement of animal experiments in order to improve animal welfare sustainably. A key aspect here is the definition of early humane endpoint criteria to avoid severe and lasting suffering of the animals through timely euthanasia. The present study analyzed the welfare of mice in different pancreatic cancer models, various mouse strains, and under different therapeutic interventions in preclinical testing. Their welfare was monitored before any intervention, during tumor progression, and on the days before the individual humane endpoint for each mouse by assessing body weight change, distress score, perianal temperature, burrowing behavior, nesting activity, and mouse grimace scale. The data was retrospectively analyzed via receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to quantify the predictability of each parameter for humane endpoint determination. Burrowing behavior proved to be a robust predictor of the humane endpoint two days in advance under various conditions, including diverse pancreatic cancer models and different therapeutic approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/9/1241animal welfarerefinementearly humane endpointpancreatic cancer |
| spellingShingle | Jakob Brandstetter Lisa Hoffmann Ingo Koopmann Tim Schreiber Benjamin Schulz Stephan Patrick Rosshart Dietmar Zechner Brigitte Vollmar Simone Kumstel Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer Animals animal welfare refinement early humane endpoint pancreatic cancer |
| title | Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer |
| title_full | Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer |
| title_short | Burrowing Behavior as Robust Parameter for Early Humane Endpoint Determination in Murine Models for Pancreatic Cancer |
| title_sort | burrowing behavior as robust parameter for early humane endpoint determination in murine models for pancreatic cancer |
| topic | animal welfare refinement early humane endpoint pancreatic cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/9/1241 |
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