Temporomandibular joint damage in K/BxN arthritic mice

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease affecting 1% of the world population and is characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints sometimes accompanied by extra-articular manifestations. K/BxN mice, originally described in 1996 as a model of polyarthritis, exhibit knee joint alterations. The aim of this study was to describe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation and damage in these mice. We used relevant imaging modalities, such as micro-magnetic resonance imaging (μMRI) and micro-computed tomography (μCT), as well as histology and immunofluorescence techniques to detect TMJ alterations in this mouse model. Histology and immunofluorescence for Col-I, Col-II, and aggrecan showed cartilage damage in the TMJ of K/BxN animals, which was also evidenced by μCT but was less pronounced than that seen in the knee joints. μMRI observations suggested an increased volume of the upper articular cavity, an indicator of an inflammatory process. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) isolated from the TMJ of K/BxN mice secreted inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β) and expressed degradative mediators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). K/BxN mice represent an attractive model for describing and investigating spontaneous damage to the TMJ, a painful disorder in humans with an etiology that is still poorly understood.