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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
Murine Colitis Modeling using Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)
Published on: January 19, 2010
Disease modifying effect of statins in dextran sulfate sodium model of mouse colitis
N Kanagarajan1, J H Nam, Z Al Noah
1Drexel University College of Medicine, Office of Research Compliance, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
Objective:
We evaluated the disease modifying effect of simvastatin and atorvastatin in Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) model of colitis.
Materials And Methods:
Thirty, 8-week old female Swiss-Webster mice were separated into 5 groups (n = 6/group). Colitis was induced by feeding 4 % DSS solution for 7 days. Following discontinuation of DSS, over the next 7 days, the groups orally received simvastatin (20 mg/kg/day), atorvastatin (60 mg/kg/day), vehicle only (0.75 % methylcellulose), subcutaneous 30 mug injections of anti-TNFalpha monoclonal antibody or intraperitoneal anti-mouse apolipoprotein A-I antibody respectively. Disease activity Index (DAI) was determined daily by a blinded investigator.
Results:
The mean reduction in DAI scores from day 7 to day 14 for anti-TNFalpha group, simvastatin and atorvastatin group were 74 %, 76 % and 64 %, respectively as compared to 41 % reduction in vehicle and anti-apolipoprotein A-I antibody-treated groups.
Conclusions:
This finding suggests that statins may have the ability to modify the disease activity in the DSS model of colitis and the disease modifying effect is comparable to anti-mouse TNFalpha treatment in this model.
