DSS-Induced IBD Mouse Model For Preclinical Drug Screening

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease, is marked by recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, triggered by an abnormal immune response to gut microflora. Common symptoms of IBD include diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal pain, cramping, weight loss, and blood in the stool.

To better understand the disease, scientists have developed a murine model of IBD through chemical induction. C57BL/6 female mice were used in this study, which divided the animals into three groups: one group received normal water, another received a 3.5% concentration of Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) in water, and the third group received a 5% DSS concentration. DSS induces intestinal inflammation by disrupting the epithelial monolayer lining of the large intestine, allowing proinflammatory components like bacteria and their byproducts to penetrate deeper tissues and trigger inflammation.