• Spontaneous Model(s) TgA86 mice
  • Readouts In vivo scoring, Histopathology

The Disease

Ankylosing Spondylitis (SpA) is a bone pathology that belongs to a superfamily  of spondyloarthritides. SpA involves both axial and peripheral arthritis-like pathology  characterized by inflammation and structural damage accompanied by new bone formation that may gradually lead to joint ankylosis. In AS the primary site of inflammation is located at the enthesis or subchondral bone marrow with bone marrow oedema, infiltration of inflammatory cells and increased osteoclast density.

Our Preclinical Testing Tools

Biomedcode has recently added in its collection of unique animal models of human disease the TgA86 mouse model spontaneously developing ankylosing spondylitis due to the overexpression of mouse transmembrane TNF.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Evaluation Platforms

Mice can be treated either early -at disease onset- or late –at established pathology. Disease progress and severity are assessed regularly using validated in vivo scoring scales for peripheral and axial pathology.

Read-Out Parameters

In vivo peripheral pathology scoring

In vivo axial pathology scoring

Histopathological evaluation of joint sections

Histopathological evaluation of tail vertebrae sections

μCT images

Platform validation

Mouse tmTNF driven spondyloarthritis (TgA86)

TgA86 mice overexpress mouse transmembrane TNF from a Δ1-12 mTNF-globin transgene and develop chronic inflammatory arthritis and axial spondylitis pathology from the first weeks of age. Disease is clinically manifested as peripheral arthritis accompanied by a hunchback formation and crinkled tails.

DOWNLOAD TgA86 WHITE PAPER

Representative graphs of the progression of the in vivo arthritic score (left panel) and the tail pathology  score (right panel) in TgA86 animals. Treatment with etanercept ameliorates the disease symptoms.