Novel DVC interlinking home cage monitoring system facilitates social behavioural testing in mice

Digital Ventilated Cage (DVC ) system by Tecniplast S.p.A. has revolutionized animal housing in research facilities by allowing precise control of environmental conditions to ensure optimal animal welfare. Furthermore, the possibility of a long-term, 24/7 monitoring of animal behaviour directly in the home-cage, has led to uncovering new digital biomarkers in mouse disease models. In this study, the utility of DVC to further facilitate behavioural research is explored, focusing on cognitive, anxiety, and social tests in C57BL/6J mice. Three tests traditionally performed out of the home cage (novel object recognition, light/dark, three-chamber tests) were adapted and executed in a new system called 'Interlinking', which consists of up to three DVC cages interconnected via circular tunnels through frontal openings positioned on the cages (Figure 1). After habituation to the Interlinking tubes, tests were carried out over three days. The results showed that while the first two tests were suboptimal for the Interlinking , this new system was promising particularly in the context of social behavior. This was further supported by cross-lab comparison and observation of a close correlation between manual video scoring data and digital biomarkers extracted from DVC data, such as mouse activity and cage occupancy. In conclusion, the potential of DVC Interlinking system is highlighted, creating novel experimental setups to improve animal welfare and accurate behavioural research. This study provides valuable insights into the integration of advanced housing technologies with behavioural methods, paving the way for more sophisticated and ethologically relevant experimental designs.