Comparison of Different Methods of Constructing a Celiac Disease Model in BALB/c Mice

Efficient and stable animal models of celiac disease (CD) are crucial for CD research, dietary supplementation research, and new drug development. This study aimed to establish CD models by administering gliadin to parental and first-generation mice on a gluten-free diet using two intraperitoneal injection and a combination of sensitization by intraperitoneal injection and gavage. Various indicators, including clinical manifestations, characteristic indicators of CD, inflammatory factors, intestinal barriers, immune cells, and other related indicators, were used to compare different modeling methods. The results showed that all four methods induced varying degrees of CD symptoms in the mice. The analysis revealed that intraperitoneal injection in first-generation mice significantly increased specific IgG and total IgE antibody levels; markedly shortened intestinal villus and crypt hyperplasia in the jejunum; significantly increased pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-15, and TNF-α; and significantly decreased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4. Additionally, immune cells in the spleen and intestinal lymph nodes were severely imbalanced. These results suggest that the intraperitoneal injection model in first-generation mice is more efficient, stable, and significant. This study provides a theoretical basis for the efficient construction of CD models.