Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that principally attacks the joints, producing an inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints. Charles River conducts contract studies in established mouse and rat models of rheumatoid arthritis to test the efficacy of novel therapeutics.

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Model Study Protocol
Collagen-Induced Arthritis (CIA) in Rats 28-day study carried out in Dark Agouti or Lewis rats using bovine or porcine type II collagen as an immunogen.
Collagen-Induced Arthritis (CIA) in Mice 49-day study carried out in DBA1 mice using bovine or chicken type II collagen as an immunogen. Disease onset can be synchronized with LPS challenge.
Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis (CAIA) in Mice 21-day study bypassing the development of anti-collagen antibodies. Disease is induced using a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies directed against type II collagen.

Study Endpoints

  • Clinical scores
  • Tactile allodynia (Von Frey fibers)
  • Histopathology
  • Biomarker analysis (gene, protein expression patterns)
  • Cytokine analysis
  • Clinical chemistry
  • PK/PD blood analysis

Complex Biology In Vitro Assays: Immunological Assay Services

Cover image of ​a technical sheet describing our off-the-shelf immunological assay services that assess a compound's impact on inflammation.

Measure the activation of synovial fibroblasts – a distinguishing feature of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – with assays that use RA patient-derived primary human cells. Download Now