The SentiMus project
Exposure to various pollutants is a major public health issue; however, studying the link between exposure and its effects on individuals—across different timescales—is challenging in human populations. The core idea behind SentiMus is to test whether the house mouse, which has been closely associated with human habitats for millennia, could serve as a “sentinel” for:
- measure exposure to pollutants
- evaluate its physiological and phenotypic cost
- study possible evolutionary responses potentially detectable in this mammal with a much shorter generation time than that of humans
SentiMus integrates a wide range of expertise, spanning from fundamental approaches to more applied issues—such as ecology and evolution, toxicology, metabolism, landscape modeling, and fertility studies. These various research areas are centered on a shared sampling strategy within the Lyon area and its metropolitan region.
- Characterization of the chemical exposome. Maps modeling the geographic distribution of various types of pollutants (urban, industrial, agricultural) will be used to identify target sites for mouse collection. At these sites, exposure to the different pollutants will be assessed and compared with model-based predictions. This comparison will determine the extent to which mice serve as effective “sentinels” for the exposure of surrounding human populations. Any discrepancies, when viewed within the landscape context, will provide insights into factors that might modulate the effects of “theoretical” exposure on local populations—both murine and human.
- Genomic signature of adaptation. The complete genomes of mice from populations with widely differing levels of pollutant exposure will be analyzed to pinpoint genomic regions subject to strong local selection and to identify pathways potentially severely affected by components of the exposome. These results will be cross-referenced with historical pollution maps, making it possible to assess the adaptive consequences of prolonged exposure. A landscape genomics approach will complement this component, aiming to understand how movements are shaped by landscape features and how such exchanges may facilitate or hinder adaptation to local exposure conditions.
- Physiological and phenotypic costs of pollutant exposure. The collected mice will undergo a diverse battery of analyses aimed at documenting a wide spectrum of traits potentially affected by pollutant exposure: hematology, biochemistry, and hormonal status via blood analysis; metabolism, mitochondrial energetics, and oxidative stress; as well as bone mineralization quality. These analyses will make it possible to begin assessing the costs associated with exposure to various pollutants under real-world conditions.
- Pollutants and fertility. The study will focus on the potential impact of pollution exposure on fertility. Sperm quality will be assessed in mice sampled from environments with contrasting exposure levels; these results will be cross-referenced with the geographical distribution of IVF requests in order to extend the “sentinel mouse” approach to human health issues.
Virginie LATTARD
Virginie Lattard is a Research Director at INRAE and head of the RS2GP/VetAgro Sup laboratory (“Wild Rodents – Health Risks and Population Management”). A veterinarian by training, she specializes in toxicology and ecotoxicology. She is recognized for her expertise in anticoagulant rodenticides, a class of biocides used for rodent control. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of tissue persistence of these compounds, the assessment of exposure among non-target wildlife, and the identification of contamination pathways. She also develops strategies to reduce their environmental footprint, balancing effective pest control with biodiversity conservation.
Sabine RENAUD
Sabrina Renaud is a Research Director at the CNRS, working within the Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive. She specializes in the evolution of morphological structures involved in feeding—such as the mandible and teeth—in relation to adaptation to local resource conditions. Her research spans various temporal and spatial scales, integrating the study of both fossil and extant populations. Her primary study models are rodents, particularly the house mouse. In recent years, she has focused specifically on the relationship between changes in anthropogenic habitats and the adaptive response of murine populations.