Strain Detail: SCG/ThpNkc mice

The SCG/Kj mouse strain, a.k.a. SCG/ThpNkc, is an inbred strain known as a mouse model for rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. The strain was established by sib mating of mice produced by mating between a BXSB/MpJ (BXSB) female to an MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) male. SCG/Kj mice develop crescentic glomerulonephritis and ANCA-associated vasculitis, which are not observed in BXSB and MRL/lpr, and die earlier than BXSB and MRL/lpr. These differences may be due to the presence of the autoimmune-promoting gene lpr (Fas^lpr) derived from MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr, as well as the genetic background of BXSB/MpJ.

Method of strain maintenance

Mating should begin at 6 weeks of age because some females of the SCG/Kj strain develop glomerulonephritis and vasculitis at approximately 8 weeks of age. To maintain the incidence of the disease, we routinely test the parents' urine for protein and blood (e.g., urine test sticks, Eiken Chemical Co., Tokyo, Japan) after weaning of the pups, and among the urine symptom-positive females, we identify the females with both renal crescent formation and vasculitis development and then select pups derived from the symptomatic females for the next generation.

1. Kinjoh K, Kyogoku M, Good RA. Genetic selection for crescent formation yields mouse strain with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and small vessel vasculitis.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Apr 15;90(8):3413-7.[PMID: 8475090]
2. Neumann I, Birck R, Newman M, SchnüEle P, Kriz W, Nemoto K, Yard B, Waldherr R, Van Der Woude FJ. SCG/Kinjoh mice: a model of ANCA-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis with immune deposits.Kidney Int. 2003 Jul;64(1):140-8.[PMID: 12787404]
3. Ishida-Okawara A, Ito-Ihara T, Muso E, Ono T, Saiga K, Nemoto K, Suzuki K. Neutrophil contribution to the crescentic glomerulonephritis in SCG/Kj mice.Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2004 Jul;19(7):1708-15.[PMID: 15150352]
4. Hamano Y, Tsukamoto K, Abe M, Sun GD, Zhang D, Fujii H, Matsuoka S, Tanaka M, Ishida-Okawara A, Tachikawa H, Nishimura H, Tokunaka K, Hirose S, Suzuki K. Genetic dissection of vasculitis, myeloperoxidase-specific antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody production, and related traits in spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis-forming/Kinjoh mice.J Immunol. 2006 Mar 15;176(6):3662-73.[PMID: 16517735]
5. Saiga K, Tokunaka K, Ichimura E, Toyoda E, Abe F, Yoshida M, Furukawa H, Nose M, Ono M. NK026680, a novel suppressant of dendritic cell function, prevents the development of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in SCG/Kj mice.Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Nov;54(11):3707-15.[PMID: 17075885]
6. Saiga K, Yoshida M, Nakamura I, Toyoda E, Tokunaka K, Morohashi H, Abe F, Nemoto K, Nose M. Evaluation of the ameliorative effects of immunosuppressants on crescentic glomerulonephritis in SCG/Kj mice.Int Immunopharmacol. 2008 Sep;8(9):1183-9.[PMID: 18602063]
7. Kameoka Y, Kishi F, Koura M, Yamakawa Y, Nagasawa R, Ito F, Matsuda J, Suzuki O, Nakayama T, and Suzuki K. (2019) Efficacy of a recombinant single-chain fragment variable region, VasSF, as a new drug for vasculitis. Drug Des Devel Ther 13():555-568. [PMID:30787596]
8. Koura M, Doi Y, Kishi F, Kameoka Y, Yamakawa Y, Nagasawa R, Ito F, Hamano Y, Suzuki K, Suzuki O (2021) VasSF treatment increased the number of pup deliveries per female in SCG/Kj mice. ADC Lett Infect Dis Control. 2021; 8: 33-35.