Stress transmission in social groups of mice: unveiling physiological responses, behavioral patterns, and immune dynamics
Dennis J. Horvath, Dennis Mink, Kritika Saxena, Katharina Inholz, Petra H. Wirtz, Michael Basler
Abstract
In modern societies, stress is pervasive, requiring sophisticated physiological mechanisms for stability and survival, primarily through the sympatho-adrenal medullary (SAM) and hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axes. Chronic stress is linked to a range of mental and physical health problems and has been shown to affect immune function. In this study, a paradigm for social stress transmission in groups of mice was established, based on a restraint stress model to study how stress spreads among individuals. Mice exposed to indirect stress exhibited HPA-axis activation, elevated corticosterone (CORT) levels, enlarged adrenal glands, and anxiety-like behaviors in light-dark-box tests. Notably, female mice were more susceptible to stress transmission. While stress transmission enhanced innate immune responses, it did not affect adaptive immunity following vaccination with a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based vaccine. In contrast, direct stress impaired both immune responses and the effectiveness of immunotherapy in a melanoma model.