Table 1.

Published preterm birth mouse models.

						Stimulant
Type of model	Targeted mutation	Mouse strain	Expected gestational length (days)a	Breeding method	Defined start of pregnancyb	Treatment/ experimental manipulation	Routec and concentration	Day of injection	Preterm delivery definition	Term delivery definition in paper	Pup survival	Reference
Infection
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	ND	Vaginal plug; dpc not defined	E. coli 2 – 10 × 105	IU/IP	14.5 dpc	Within 48 h	ND	None	[31]
	N/A	C3H/HeN x C3H/HeN C3H/HeN x B6D2F1 BALB/c x B6D2F1	19–20	ND	Vaginal plug and spermatozoa in vaginal smear at 0.0 dpc	LPS serotype 055:B5	IP - 50 or 100 μg/kg (one injection) Or 50 μg/kg (two injections)	12, 15, or 17 dpc	<19 dpc	19–20 dpc	None	[32]
	N/A	CD-1	ND	ND	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	LPS serotypes 0111:B4, 055:B5, 0127:B8*, and 0128:B12	IU 20 μg in 25 μl	16 dpc	36 h postinjection	60 ± 15 h postinjection	LPS 0111:B4 none 055:B5 80% 0127:B8 95% 0128:B12 100%	[33]
	TLR-4 mutant	CD-1 C3H/HeJ	19–20	Timed pregnant (supplier)	ND	LPS serotype L2280 (CD-1) L2880 and L4525 for TLR-4 mutant	IU 250 μg/mouse (Sigma)	15 dpc	At least 1 pup born < 48 h after LPS admin	19–20 dpc	None	[35]
	C5aR−/−	129S4/SvJae		ND	Vaginal plug at 0 dpc	No treatment, LPS serotype 055:B5 or RU486	250 μg LPS intravaginally SC 150 μg RU486 dissolved in DMSO	15 dpc	Within 48 h postinjection	20–21 dpc	ND	[36]
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	ND	Vaginal plug, dpc not defined	TLR-2 ligand lipoteichoic acid, peptidoglycan, or TLR-3 ligand polyinosinic:cytidylic acid	IU and IP	14.5 or 15.5 dpc	At least 1 pup born or in lower vagina <48 h after surgery	19–20 dpc	None	[37]
	N/A	C3H/HeNCrj X Crj: B6D2F1	19–20	ND	Vaginal plug and spermatozoa in the vaginal smear at 0.0 dpc	Lipoteichoic acid	IP 12.5–75 mg/kg single dose or repeated doses at 3h intervals	15 dpc 17 dpc	<19.0 dpc	19–20 dpc	None with doses given on 15 dpc 100% viable with doses given on 17 dpc	[38]
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	ND	ND	iE-DAP	IP 500, 750, or 1000 μg in 200 μl PBS	14.5 dpc	Delivery within 24 h postinjection	ND	ND	[39]
	N/A	CD-1	ND	Timed pregnant (supplier)	ND	Heat-killed GBS	IP or IU 109 in 100 μl	14.5 dpc	Within 48 h postinjection	ND	ND	[42]
	N/A	C3H/HeN	19–20	ND	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	Ureaplasmal outer membrane lipoprotein	IU 15 μg	14.0 dpc	Within 48 h	ND	ND	[45]
	N/A	BALB/c (H-2d)	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0 dpc	Chlamydia trachomatis mouse pneumonitis biovar (strain Nigg II)	101 to 107 inclusion-forming units in 20 μl of 0.2 M sucrose–20 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.2)–5 mM glutamic acid	5 dpc	ND	19.3	Maternal cannibalism precluded evaluation	[47]
	N/A	C3H/HeJ	20	Timed-pregnant (supplier)	ND	E. coli Dr+ IH11128 and Dr14	Urethral catheterization into urinary bladder	7 dpc	On or before 18 dpc	ND	53.6%	[50]
	N/A	C57Bl/6J	20.45	ND	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	W83 strain of P. gingivalis	108 CFU	6 weeks before mating	17–18.25 dpc	Delivery	ND	[55]
	Faah–/–; Cnr–/–	ND	∼19.8	ND	Vaginal plug at 1.0 dpc	LPS 0111:B4	IP 25 μg	16.0 dpc	Before 19 dpc	∼19.8 dpc	None	[139]
	N/A	Kunming (derived from Swiss Webster)	ND	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	LPS serotype 0127	IP 150 μg/kg	15.5 dpc	15.5–17 dpc	18.0–20.0 dpc	47%d	[140]
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	LPS serotype 0111	IU 10 μg	16.0 dpc	12.7 ± 7 h	ND	14.6 ± 31% viable, but included deliveries 25–37 h after LPS	[141]
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	LPS	IP 0.5 μg	16.5 dpc	Before 18.0 dpc	ND	2.3 fetuses per dam, may include term deliveries	[142]
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	ND	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	LPS serotype 0111:B4	IA 100 ng/sac	16.5 dpc	Before 18.0 dpc	ND	ND	[143]
	Uterine-specific p53 knockout	FVB/129	ND C57BL/6-129	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 1.0 dpc	LPS	IP 10 μg/ml	16.0 dpc	Before 19 dpc	ND	28% w/o LPS; 0% with LPS	[84]
Inflammation
	N/A	C3H/Hel	20–21	Timed pregnant (supplier)	ND	Interleukin-1	SC	15–17 dpc	Within 24 h	20–22 dpc	ND	[61]
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	High-mobility group box-1	IA 9 ng	14.5 dpc	17.35 dpc	19.5 ± 0.5 dpc	∼85.4% viability; 60.9 ± 11.7% pup death by 1 week of age	[64]
Cesarean
	N/A	CD-1	20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 1.0 dpc	Cesarean	NA	NA	On 18 or 19 dpc	20 dpc	0% (18 dpc) 87.8% (19 dpc)	[65]
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	Timed pregnant (supplier)	ND	Cesarean	NA	NA	1 or 2 days before term	Delivery	100%	[144]
PPROM
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	Pair mated (5 h)	ND	Fetal fibronectin	Between fetal membranes and uterine lining (100–200 μg/ml)	17.0 dpc	<18.5 dpc	19 dpc	20%	[70]
	Biglycan and Decorin double knockout	C3H	19.5	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.0 dpc	NA	NA	NA	Before 18.0 dpc	19.5 dpc	0%	[67]
Early progesterone withdrawal
	N/A	C3H/HeN	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 1.0 dpc	Mifepristone (RU486)	SC 50–250 μg	12–14 dpc	Within 18 h	19–20 dpc	100%	[75]
Prostaglandins
	N/A	C3H/HeN	19–20	Timed Pregnant (supplier)	ND	Prostaglandin F2α	IP 20 μg	16 dpc	Within 24 h	<18 dpc	ND	[82]
	15-hydroxy- prostaglandin dehydrogenase hypomorph	C57BL/6-129/SvJ	∼19.3	ND	Vaginal plug, dpc not defined	NA	NA	NA	Shorter gestation than control	∼19.3 dpc	Equivalent to term	[80]
Uterine quiescence
	N/A	CD-1	19	Timed pregnant (supplier)	ND	Tunicamycin	IP 0–1 mg/kg	15 dpc	18–32 h postinjection	19 dpc	Nonviable neonates at 16 and 17 dpc	[89]
Endocannabinoid signaling
	CB1 knockout	C57BL/6J/129	∼20.1	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 1.0 dpc	NA	NA	NA	Before ∼19.5 dpc	∼20.1 dpc	Yes	[99]
Hyperhomocysteinemia
	CBS knockout	C57BL/6J	20.0 ± 0.2	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	NA	NA	NA	At 16.6 ± 0.1 dpc	20.0 ± 0.2 dpc	Yes	[102]
Environmental effects
	N/A	C57BL/6	19.5 ± 0.5	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	2,3,7,8-tetrachlo- rodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin)	Mother was gavaged 10 μg/kg; no exposure as adult	In utero at 15.5 dpc, none as adult	24 h before term	20 dpc	Pups born preterm appeared viable at birth, died within 24 h Pups born at term survived	[105]
	N/A	BL6C3F1	20.3 ± 0.2	Two days	First day of pairing defined as 0.0 dpc	Cigarette smoke diluted 90%	Inhalation	2–18 dpc	At 19.6 ± 0.2 dpc	20.3 ± 0.2 dpc	Yes	[145]
Other
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0 dpc	L-arginine analog NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)	SC 0 (vehicle), 40, 70, or 100 mg L-NAME/kg in 10 ml/kg body weight	15.5 dpc and 16 dpc	Before 18 dpc	18–19.5 dpc	Maternal cannibalism precluded evaluation	[107]
	N/A	CD-1	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0 dpc	Methylene Blue	SC 5, 30, 50, 60 or 85 mg/kg in 5 ml/kgb	15.5 dpc and 16 dpc	Before 18 dpc	18–19.5	Appeared viable but maternal cannibalism precluded evaluation	[108]
	N/A	ICR (CD-1)	19–20	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0.5 dpc	Surfactant protein (SP)-A	IA 3 μg in 50 μl per sac	15 dpc	ND	19 dpc	ND	[109]
	N/A	BALB/C	20.2 ± 0.1	Overnight	Vaginal plug at 0 dpc	Neuromedin B	IP 30, 90, or 150 μg/kg of NMB	18 dpc and 19 dpc at 1400 and 1800 h	ND	ND	ND	[110]
	N/A	C57Bl/6J	19.5 ± 0.5	ND	Vaginal plug at 1 dpc	Alcohol	Intra-gastric 6 g/kg	17 dpc or 18 dpc	18.9 ± 0.1 dpc 19.5 ± 0.2 dpc	20.1 ± 0.1	ND	[111]

^aAs discussed by author or determined by [16]

^bdpc, days postcoital

^cIA, intraamniotic; IP, intraperitoneal; IU, intruterine; SC, subcutaneous

^dincludes term deliveries

NA, not applicable

ND, not discussed

LPS, Lipopolysaccharide