Acute DSS Model
Dextran sulphate is a long-chain carbohydrate molecule which disrupts the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa, resulting in acute colitis. Over a one-week period, it is characterised by an acute diarrhoeal response, mucosal bleeding and body weight loss. The colitis is defined by discontinuous lesions in the large bowel, with areas of epithelial crypt loss, ulceration and infiltration of myeloid and lymphoid cells into the mucosa.
Chronic DSS Model
The DSS-induced model of colitis can also be modified to offer a chronic version using repeated cycles of exposure to DSS.
Primary Readouts
- Large bowel histopathology
Further Readouts
- Large bowel weight : length ratio
- Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence
- Weight loss
- Diarrhoea severity
- Mucosal bleeding
- FACS analysis of inflammatory cell response (flow cytometry)
- Multiplex analysis of serum and tissue cytokines
- Protein expression
- Gene expression
- Intestinal permeability assay (FITC Dextran)
- ELISA: MPO & Fecal Lipocalin (Lcn-2) assay
