Establishment and Evaluation the Arthritis Model Induced by Collagen in Rats

OBJECTIVE To establish the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis( CIA) and the method of evaluation. METHODS CIA was induced in male wistar rats by injecting subcutaneously with chicken type Ⅱ collagen( CⅡ) in Freund's complete adjuvant( CFA) and Freund's incomplete adjuvant( IFA). Arthritis was evaluated by body weight,hind paw volume,arthritis index( AI),pain thresholds including paw withdraw thermal latency( PWTL) and mechanical withdrawal threshold( MWT),radiographic and histological examination. Levels of interleukin-1β( IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α) and anti-CⅡ antibody in serum were determined by Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). RESULTS Compared to normal control group,the CIA rats showed a slower increase of body weight,their hind paws appeared red and swelling,hind paw volume was significantly increased,the scores of AI increased,both PWTL and MWT were significantly decreased. X-ray examination showed that the joint space was narrow and the joint structure was broken,and histological pathology of ankle joints showed that the synovium of CIA rats were hyperplasia,and inflammatory cells infiltrated into synovium. Significantly increased levels of anti-CⅡ antibody,IL-1β and TNF-α were observed by ELISA. CONCLUSION This study has successfully established CIA rat model and the method of evaluation.