Influence of Sex-Segregated Grouping and of Inoculation With Subcellular Leukemic Material on Development of Nonleukemic Lesions in DBA/2, BALB/c, and CBA Mice2

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Abstract
The influence of sex-segregated grouping and of inoculation with subcellular leukemic material on development of nenleukemic lesions was investigafedin DBA/2, CBA, and BALB/c mice. The sexes were segregated at weaning, 6–10 mice to a cage. From each sex and strain some sex-segregated groups were inoculated with, subcellular leukemic meterlelcnd others left uninoculated. Uninoculated breeding groups, each consisting of 1 male in a cage with 6–8 females, served,as nonsegregated. controls. Mice developing leukemia were excluded from the study. The survival time was much shorter in sex-segregated males of all strains than in nonsegregated males, whereas the survival time was long in all groups of females. Nearly all miceshowed generalized amyloidosis. Males had considerably moreamyloid than females, and sex-segregated males more so than those nonsegregated. No correlation was found between fighting habits and amyloid development in males of the different strains. The possible importance of persistent psychologic stress among members of the social hierarchy in each cage was considered. Sex-segregated DBA/2 males developed a progressive normocytic anemia and reticulocytosis and proved positive with the Coombs' hemagglutination test. Sex-segregated males inoculated with leukemic material had a shorter survival time than those not inoculated. Sex-segregated females were unaffected by inoculation. Thepossible presence of a life-shortening, amyloid inducing agent in the subcellular leukemic material is discussed.