Protocol for handling and using SOD1 mice for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pre-clinical studies

Leenor Alfahel; Aleksandar Rajkovic; Adrian Israelson

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103459

Protocol for handling and using SOD1 mice for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pre-clinical studies

STAR Protoc. 2024 Nov 22;5(4):103459. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103459. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Leenor Alfahel¹, Aleksandar Rajkovic², Adrian Israelson³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; The School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. Electronic address: leenor@post.bgu.ac.il.
² Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; The School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.
³ Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; The School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. Electronic address: adriani@bgu.ac.il.

PMID: 39579350
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103459

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease that has no proper cure. Pre-clinical studies on ALS mice are an essential milestone toward clinical trials. Here, we present a protocol for handling and using SOD1^G37R mice for ALS pre-clinical studies. We describe steps for breeding, genotyping, monitoring, and behavioral testing of mice. We then detail procedures for perfusion, organ harvesting, and immunostaining for postmortem analysis. This protocol can be easily modified for other mouse lines. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Alfahel et al.¹.

Keywords: Behavior; Model Organisms; Neuroscience.