2.4. Mice
Four-week-old outbred female OF1 mice were purchased from
IFFA Credo (Belgium) and kept in the animal facility of the Faculty
of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The
mice were divided into four groups of six mice each and placed
in cages measuring 25 cm by 40 cm by 15 cm (w  l  h) in a con-
ventional animal room. The room temperature was maintained at
21 °C with an alternating light/dark sequence of 7 am–9 pm and
9 pm–7 am, respectively. Filtered drinking water and food (ob-
tained from SAFE, Augy, France) were available ad libitum. All mice
were handled in accordance with the Belgian ethical commission
for the use of laboratory animals, in conformity with the European
Union regulations regarding the protection of animals used for
experimental and other scientific purposes (86/609/EEC).