Decreased muscle strength in adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis animal model: A relationship to behavioural assessments

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 10; no. 1; p. e23264
• Main Authors: Ghouri, Maham, Lateef, Mehreen, Liaquat, Laraib, Zulfquar, Ahsan, Saleem, Saima, Zehra, Sitwat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15-01-2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Behavioural phenotyping; Disease animal model; Grip strength; Rheumatoid arthritis; Splenomegaly; Behavioural phenotyping; Splenomegaly; Grip strength; Disease animal model; Rheumatoid arthritis
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23264

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder with unknown aetiology. Patients suffering from RA face persistent pain due to joint inflammation, and tissue destruction. Behavioural phenotyping is an approach to target the role of different behavioural traits associated with disease progression. The study aimed to assess behavioural patterns associated with decreased muscle strength in the adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis animal model. The study was conducted on male Albino Wister rats (n = 30) [Control, Vehicle, and Disease groups]. After taking ethical approvals RA was induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) intradermally base of tail. The weight of animals, macroscopic analysis of inflammatory signs, and arthritic scores were measured weekly. Grip strength, ganglia-based movement, cataleptic activity, and motor-coordination-related behaviours were assessed among the groups. Radiographs and spleen index assay were performed followed by data analysis using one-way and two-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance). A significant decrease in weight and an increase in arthritic scores among the diseased group was observed. Behavioural analyses confirmed that diseased animals had significantly decreased grip strength and increased cataleptic activity with less motor coordination. Radiographic images and spleen index assay confirmed the pattern of RA. Therefore, it can be suggested that the development of the disease animal model is an effective approach to identifying the disease progression and associated behavioural changes. Moreover, this prepared laboratory animal model may be utilised for pathway analyses to understand the key role of immune regulators and genetic insight into molecular pathways associated with acute and chronic phases of RA.
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•Motor-coordination behaviour is an effective approach for identification of disease progression in RA-induced rat models.•RA-induced rat model is better criteria for the assessment of disease progression before sacrificing the laboratory rats.•Diseased model can be used to understand the key role of genetic and immune mediators involved in severity of RA.