Spontaneous DBA mouse calcification warrants no clinical extrapolation; leaves open its value as a strain-specific research model.
Key Points
To determine the onset, incidence, and morphological features of spontaneous cardiac calcification in DBA strain mice across different age groups.
Examined DBA strain mice aged 25 days to greater than 90 days for the onset and structural progression of myocardial and epicardial calcification.
Evaluated the presence of inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrous tissue encapsulation, and lesion distribution across sexes and anatomical sites.
Total incidence of calcified lesions advanced with age from 17% by 30 days to 80% by 90 days and 94% in mice older than 90 days, independent of sex.
Early lesions emerged by 25 days with fine mineral granules and minimal inflammation, progressing with age into agranular deposits with fibrous encapsulation and absent inflammation.
Calcareous epicarditis localized exclusively to the right ventricle, appearing in 8% of mice up to 90 days of age and increasing to 50% in mice over 90 days.