Retro-orbital injections in mice

Abstract

Intravenous vascular access is technically challenging in the adult mouse and even more challenging in neonatal mice. The authors describe the technique of retro-orbital injection of the venous sinus in the adult and neonatal mouse. This technique is a useful alternative to tail vein injection for the administration of non-tumorigenic compounds. The authors report that they have routinely used this technique in the adult mouse to administer volumes up to 150 µl without incident. Administration of retro-orbital injections is more challenging in neonatal mice but can reliably deliver volumes up to 10 µl.

Control of lung vascular permeability and endotoxin-induced pulmonary oedema by changes in extracellular matrix mechanics

“…To determine whether changes of ECM stiffness regulate pulmonary vascular permeability in vivo, we inhibited collagen and elastin crosslinking in mice by treating them with the lysyl oxidase (LOX) activity inhibitor, beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) 21,22 , and in separate mice, we increased ECM crosslinking (and hence, rigidity) by injecting DNA encoding the LOX enzyme 3,23,24 . Treatment of mice with BAPN (which has been previously shown to disrupt collagen fibre structure in mammary tumors 13 ) for 2 weeks resulted in a 25% decrease in LOX activity measured in blood samples (Fig.…”

“…Mice (6-10 weeks old, CD1 strain, female) were treated with LPS (100 mg, intraperitoneally) and lung permeability was assessed 2 days after injection 3 . For gene knockdown or gene overexpression, delivery of siRNA and DNA into mice was performed using retro-orbital injection of the mixture with jet PEI (PolyPlus) or Exgen (Fermentas) per the manufacturer's instructions, respectively 3,23,24,58 . Control DNA (vector only) and siRNA with irrelevant sequence were used as controls; these delivery methods have been shown not to elevate the serum levels of major pro-inflammatory cytokines (for example, TNF-a, IL-6 and so on) 59 .…”

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Developed in Mice

“…Seven-week-old female C57Bl/6J mice (the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME) were subjected to a bolus injection of 540 g/kg ZOL (Reclast, Novartis, East Hanover, NJ) through the retro-orbital venous plexus (WT ZOL) (21). In the control group, 0.9% NaCl vehicle solution was injected through the retro-orbital venous plexus (WT NaCl).…”

Intravenous Injections in Neonatal Mice

“…However, in rare instances dams can destroy entire litters. These injections can be successfully performed in mice as small as 0.8 g through 1.6 g. Alternative injection routes for neonate mice have been published by us and others including retro-orbital, intrajugular and intraperitoneal 10,15,22 . We prefer the injection route described here because it is clinically relevant, able to be performed by a single experimenter with no special equipment requirements and allows for a wide range of volumes to be administered.…”