Inflammation and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) is mediated by bowel epithelium cells and by immune cells such as infiltrating T lymphocytes and macrophages known to be key components of the disease progression via the secretion of inflammatory human cytokines like human-TNFα. Classical Inflammatory Bowel Diseases murine models do not offer the possibility to assess human-specific drugs targeting human-specific immune cells or human cytokines such as human-TNFα. However, reconstitution of a fully functional human immune system in hu-mice with both lymphoid and myeloid lineages reconstitution is ideal for the profiling of human specific drug targets such as mAb against h-TNFα.
Acute and/or chronic IBD can be induced in hu-mice by addition of Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) in the drinking water or TNBS in the colon. A clinical global scoring and specific scales have been developed to determine the severity of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases either related to progression or regression. Body weight, stool consistency, rectal bleeding and mortality have been scored and are presented. We are also applying colonoscopy imaging tools for non-invasive assessment of the early disease onset.

Human Mediated Inflammation

IBD: a disease involving several tissues

Strengths of IBD huMouse Model

• Acute and chronic models
• Infiltration of human leukocytes in inflamed colon
• Lymphoid and Myeloid compartments implicated
• Efficacy evaluation and bioequivalence of human specific monoclonal antibodies (anti-hTNFa)

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