The knowledge about the contribution of the innate immune system to health and disease is expanding. However, to obtain reliable results, it is critical to select appropriate mouse models for in vivo studies. Data on genetic and phenotypic changes associated with different mouse strains can assist in this task. Such data can also facilitate our understanding of how specific polymorphisms and genetic alterations affect gene function, phenotypes, and disease outcomes. Extensive information is available on genetic changes in all major mouse strains. However, comparatively little is known about their impact on immune response and, in particular, on innate immunity. Here, we analyzed a mouse model of chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, an autoinflammatory disease driven exclusively by the innate immune system, which is caused by an inactivating mutation in the Pstpip2 gene. We investigated how the genetic background of BALB/c, C57BL/6J, and C57BL/6NCrl strains alters the molecular mechanisms controlling disease progression. While all mice developed the disease, symptoms were significantly milder in BALB/c and partially also in C57BL/6J when compared to C57BL/6NCrl. Disease severity correlated with the number of infiltrating neutrophils and monocytes and with the production of chemokines attracting these cells to the site of inflammation. It also correlated with increased expression of genes associated with autoinflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, neutrophil activation, and degranulation, resulting in altered neutrophil activation in vivo. Together, our data demonstrate striking effects of genetic background on multiple parameters of neutrophil function and activity influencing the onset and course of chronic multifocal osteomyelitis.

Czech Centre for Phenogenomics Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prumyslova 595 252 50 Vestec Czech Republic

Department of Cell Biology Faculty of Science Charles University Albertov 6 128 00 Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Haemato oncology Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 142 20 Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Leukocyte Signaling Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 142 20 Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Molecular Analysis of Growth Regulation in Animals Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo namesti 542 2 160 00 Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prumyslova 595 252 50 Vestec Czech Republic

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