title: Phenotypic characterization of type II collagen-induced arthritis in Wistar rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine a more specific, efficient and simple method for the induction of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats. Different strains of rats were injected at the base of the tail with bovine type II collagen (CII) emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). The onset and severity of arthritis were evaluated by clinical assessment. The established CIA model was analyzed using a comprehensive examination of clinical, hematological, histological and radiological parameters. The results demonstrated that Wistar rats were the most susceptible strain to CIA followed by Wistar Furth rats, with Sprague Dawley rats being the least susceptible. Following primary and booster immunization, female Wistar rats developed severe arthritis, with an incidence of >83% and low variability in clinical signs. The development of arthritis was accompanied by a significantly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate compared with that in the control rats. The radiographic examination revealed bone matrix resorption, considerable soft tissue swelling, periosteal new bone formation and bone erosion in the arthritic joints of the CIA rats. Histopathologically, the synovial joints of CIA rats were characterized by synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation, marked cellular infiltration, bone and cartilage erosion and narrowing of the joint space. The administration of an intradermal injection of only 200 µg bovine CII emulsified in IFA at the base of the tail therefore leads to the successful development of a CIA rat model. This well-characterized CIA rat model could be specifically used to study the pathophysiology of human rheumatoid arthritis as well as to test and develop anti-arthritic agents for humans.
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hou-Pan
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hunan Department of Education's Key Laboratory of Translational Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Hunan Department of Education's Key Laboratory of Translational Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui-Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China ; Hunan Department of Education's Key Laboratory of Translational Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
keywords: Wistar rats; bovine type II collagen; collagen-induced arthritis; incomplete Freund's adjuvant