Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 21 pp 9901—9911
Innate sensitivity to stress facilitates inflammation, alters metabolism and shortens lifespan in a mouse model of social hierarchy
Figure 5. Age-dependent splenomegaly and increased pro-inflammatory status in Sub mice. A significant increase in spleen weight was observed in stress sensitive male animals at the age of 26 weeks (t =2.408, p<0.05; n=13 for each strain), 39 weeks (t=3.038, p<0.01; n=10 for Dom, n=7 for Sub), 52 weeks (t=11.82, p<0.001; n=8 for Dom, n=2 for Sub) and 65 weeks (t=7.072, p<0.001; n=16 for Dom, n=5 for Sub). The serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (A) IL-1β (t=7.611, p<0.001) and (B) IL-6 (t=2.644, p<0.05) in 12-week-old male Dom and Sub mice (n= 21 for Dom, n= 26 for Sub). * -p< 0.05, ** - p<0.01, *** - p<0.001. Student unpaired two-tailed t-test was used. Error bars indicate SEM.