Choosing the optimal concentration of dextran sulfate sodium for reproducing chemically induced colitis in rabbits

Background. Due to the fact that inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are widespread among the population, the development of new drugs for the treatment of IBD is a public health priority. Preclinical drug testing is inextricably linked with the modeling of IBD in laboratory animals. This study purpose was to develop a model of chemically induced colitis in rabbits. Methods. The study was performed on male rabbits of the “Soviet Chinchilla” breed. Colitis was simulated by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in a concentration of 0.1% to 2% solution for five consecutive days. Euthanasia of laboratory animals was carried out on the seventh day, after the end of taking the DSS solution. A histological examination of the intestine was performed. Results. It was found that using 0.1% DSS solution allows to obtain a model of mild erosive colitis. The use of 0.5% DSS solution gave the intermediate severity of erosive ulcerative colitis. DSS concentration of more than 1% led to the development of severe ulcerative colitis in rabbits and the death rate of 71.4% among them. Conclusion. The obtained results indicate that the use of 0.5% DSS solution makes it possible to create a model of erosive ulcerative colitis in rabbits suitable for studying human IBD.

Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, dextran sulfate sodium, DSS colitis, rabbit animal model

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