Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation, pain, and destruction. Affecting 0.5–1% of the population, it most commonly develops in women between the ages of 25 and 50. The disease is complex and heterogeneous, with a multifactorial origin involving both genetic and environmental factors.

RA begins with a preclinical immune response and progresses to joint inflammation characterized by synovitis, leukocyte infiltration, and systemic inflammation. Extra-articular symptoms, such as nodules, vasculitis, and lung involvement, may also occur.

At Redoxis, we offer a range of in vivo RA models in mice and rats—both actively and passively induced—to reflect various aspects of human disease. These models are essential for understanding disease mechanisms and assessing the efficacy of novel therapies. Each model displays key features of RA but varies in onset, severity, chronicity, and histopathology, making appropriate model selection vital for meaningful results.

The development of new therapies for chronic inflammatory diseases relies heavily on robust in vivo models that enable both target identification and preclinical efficacy testing. While no single animal model can fully replicate the complexity of rheumatoid arthritis, several established models capture different aspects of the human disease.

At Redoxis, we offer a range of validated RA models in rats and mice, each with distinct characteristics in terms of disease onset, chronicity, immune mechanisms, and joint pathology. Careful selection of the appropriate model is crucial to address specific scientific questions and ensure translational relevance.

	Mouse CIA	Rat CIA	PIA	CAIA	GPIA	PIA transfer
Strain	DBA/1	DA	DA	DBA/1	DBA/1 or C57BI.	DA
Induction	CII/CFA+boost	CII IFA	Pristane	Anti-CII abs	G6IP	Pristane primed
Onset	3 weeks	2 weeks	Day 10-14	Day 3-5	Day 10-12	Day 4-7
Disease course	Acute	Acute	Chronic	Acute	Acute	Chronic

Available RA Models at Redoxis

Mouse Collagen Induced Arthritis (CIA)

The Mouse Collagen-Induced Arthritis (CIA) model is one of the most widely used and well-characterized in vivo models for rheumatoid arthritis. It closely mimics several key features of the human disease, including joint inflammation, synovitis, cartilage degradation, and bone erosion.

CIA is induced by immunization with type II collagen emulsified in adjuvant, typically in susceptible mouse strains such as DBA/1. The model is driven by both T cell and B cell responses and involves the production of autoantibodies, making it highly relevant for evaluating immunomodulatory therapies.

CIA is particularly useful for:

Investigating autoimmune mechanisms in arthritis
Identifying and validating therapeutic targets
Evaluating efficacy of anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying agents
Studying acute to sub-chronic disease progression

At Redoxis, the CIA model is fully established and optimized for reliable induction, reproducible scoring, and flexible study design. We provide detailed readouts including clinical scoring, histopathology, biomarker analysis, and optional imaging endpoints.

Mouse Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis (CAIA)

The Collagen Antibody-Induced Arthritis (CAIA) model is a rapid and highly synchronized murine model of arthritis. Arthritis is induced by intravenous administration of a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies against type II collagen, followed by an LPS trigger to enhance disease onset.

CAIA bypasses the adaptive immune priming phase, making it ideal for studying effector mechanisms and innate immune pathways. Disease develops quickly and reproducibly, with prominent joint swelling, synovitis, and cartilage/bone destruction.

CAIA is suitable for:

Studying downstream inflammatory pathways
Evaluating fast-acting anti-inflammatory agents
Investigating innate immune contributions to arthritis

Redoxis offers CAIA in DBA/1 or BALB/c mice and other responsive mouse strains, with robust scoring, histology, and cytokine analysis.

Mouse Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase (G6PI)-Induced arthritis

The G6PI-induced arthritis model is an active immunization model driven by T cell autoimmunity and shares features with early and systemic phases of human RA. Immunization with recombinant G6PI leads to rapid disease onset with joint swelling and inflammation.

This model is particularly suited for:

Studying T cell-driven autoimmune responses
Investigating systemic manifestations of arthritis
Evaluating early intervention strategies

At Redoxis, the G6PI model is established in susceptible strains such as DBA/1 and C3H, and can be tailored to acute or relapsing disease courses.

Rat Collagen Induced Arthritis (CIA)

The Rat CIA model is a classical and widely accepted model for RA, offering robust and reproducible arthritis development with features such as synovitis, pannus formation, and joint destruction.

Induced by immunization with type II collagen in adjuvant, this model involves both adaptive and innate immune responses, making it valuable for mechanistic studies and therapeutic testing.

Applications include:

Assessing anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying drugs
Exploring immunological pathways in joint inflammation
Evaluating both prophylactic and therapeutic interventions

Redoxis uses genetically susceptible rat strains (e.g., DA and Lewis) and provides detailed clinical, histological, and biomarker readouts.

Rat Pristane induced arthritis (PIA)

The Pristane-Induced Arthritis (PIA) model is a highly reproducible and T cell–dependent model of arthritis in rats. Induced by a single injection of the mineral oil pristane, it leads to progressive and often chronic polyarthritis.

PIA is characterized by:

Strong T cell involvement and minimal antibody contribution
Persistent synovitis and joint destruction
Systemic features resembling human RA

This model is ideal for:

Studying T cell–mediated mechanisms
Evaluating long-term treatment effects
Investigating chronic disease progression

Redoxis offers PIA primarily in DA rats, with established protocols and flexible study durations.

Rat Adoptive T Cell Transfer Arthritis

The Adoptive Transfer model involves the transfer of arthritogenic T cells from donor rats into naïve recipients, inducing arthritis in a controlled and antigen-specific manner.

This model is valuable for:

Dissecting T cell–specific roles in arthritis
Studying defined disease mechanisms
Testing antigen-specific immunotherapies

At Redoxis, the model is used in combination with well-defined antigens and donor/recipient strains, offering high experimental control and reproducibility.

Each model is optimized and supported by our experienced team to meet your specific preclinical research needs.