Contract Research – CIA
Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is one of the most commonly used animal models of human rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Joint inflammation, which develops in animals with CIA, strongly resembles inflammation observed in patients with RA. Blocking tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is efficacious in treatment of CIA, just as it is a highly efficacious therapy in treatment of RA patients.
CIA is mediated by both T-cells and antibodies (B-cells). Macrophages are believed to play an important role in mediating tissue damage during disease development.
CIA is induced by immunizing animals with collagen emulsified in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA). It is most commonly induced in the DBA/1 mouse strain, but the disease can also be induced in Lewis rats.
CIA in DBA/1 Mice
This model has strong predictive value for drugs aiming at treating RA.
Blockade of either TNF or IL-1 is efficacious in treatment of CIA and RA. In addition, B cell depletion has been shown to reduce severity of both RA and CIA.
The disease is induced in DBA/1 mice by immunization with type II collagen, emulsified in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA), followed by a booster immunization with type II collagen emulsified in Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant (IFA). Several weeks after immunization, the mice develop inflammation of paws, which resembles inflammation observed in patients with RA.
Treatment of mice can be initiated at the time of immunization (preventive treatment), or at the time when 10-20% of all mice show first signs of disease (semi-therapeutic treatment), or as each mouse develops signs of the disease (therapeutic treatment).
This model is around 40 to 60 days long.
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