Construction of a BALB/c congenic mouse, C.C3H-Lpsd, that expresses the Lpsd allele: analysis of chromosome 4 markers surrounding the Lps gene.

Development of a congenic BALB/c mouse strain that contains a segment of chromosome 4 including the Lpsd allele of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ strain is presented. On the basis of LPS-induced spleen cell mitogenesis, macrophage tumor necrosis factor secretion, and tyrosine phosphorylation in vitro and lethality in galactosamine-sensitized mice in vivo, the C.C3H-Lpsd strain provides a model of LPS hyporesponsiveness that is comparable to that of the parental C3H/HeJ strain. Analysis of markers in this region indicates that length of the donor fragment is approximately 5.5 centimorgans. Thus, the C.C3H-Lpsd strain provides an important genetic tool for analysis of markers in this region and for examining functional effects of Lpsd expression on the BALB/c background.