Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Murine Colitis Modeling using Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)
Published on: January 20, 2010
Population changes in immunoglobulin-containing mononuclear cells in dextran sulfate sodium-induced coltitis
1First Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Insights
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) cells increase in mouse colitis models, suggesting their crucial roles in mucosal immunity and inflammation, respectively. These findings mirror human ulcerative colitis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Inflammation Research
Background:
- Mucosal inflammation in the colon is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis.
- Immunoglobulin-producing cells in the colonic lamina propria are implicated in mucosal immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between immunoglobulin-containing cells and mucosal inflammation in a mouse model of colitis.
- To determine the specific roles of IgA, IgG, and IgM in different phases of colitis.
Main Methods:
- Induction of acute, subacute, and chronic colitis in mice using dextran sulfate sodium.
- Immunohistochemical analysis to quantify IgA, IgG, and IgM-containing mononuclear cells in the colonic lamina propria.
- Comparison of cell counts between colitis models and control groups.
Main Results:
- Significant, dose-dependent increases in IgA- and IgG-containing cells were observed across acute, subacute, and chronic colitis models.
- IgA and IgG cell numbers increased progressively with disease duration.
- IgM-containing cell numbers remained similar to controls across all models.
- Observed patterns in immunoglobulin-containing cells resemble those in human ulcerative colitis.
Conclusions:
- IgA-containing cells play a vital role in the mucosal immune system throughout all phases of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.
- Increased IgG-containing cells, particularly in the chronic phase, suggest a significant role for IgG in mediating chronic mucosal inflammation.
- The study provides insights into the specific roles of different immunoglobulins in experimental colitis, relevant to human ulcerative colitis.
Abstract:
To investigate the relation of immunoglobulin-containing cells in the colonic mucosa to mucosal inflammation, we immunohistochemically examined the localization of immunoglobulin-containing mononuclear cells in the lamina propria in dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis in mice. Mice were treated repeatedly with 3% dextran sulfate sodium (MW 54,000) solution or distilled water for a total of 170 days (chronic model), or for 85 days (subacute model) or for 10 days (acute model). IgG, IgA, and IgM-containing mononuclear cells were studied by enzyme immunostaining. The number of IgA- and IgG-containing cells gradually and significantly increased in the acute, subacute, and chronic models, in that order (P < 0.01 or 0.05). However, the numbers of IgM-containing cells in the three models were similar to that in the controls. These findings resembled those of human ulcerative colitis. In this dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, IgA-containing mononuclear cells may play an essential role in the mucosal immune system is the acute, subacute, and chronic phases. The finding that IgG-containing mononuclear cells increased substantially in the chronic phase suggests that IgG plays an important role in the mucosal inflammatory reaction during the chronic phase.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease