Objective: Animal models are useful for studying disease, but there is a shortage of suitable models of ulcerative colitis. The aim of the present study was to set up an oxazolone-induced murine colitis model and use it to research the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.
Methods: BALB/c mice were presensitized by painting the skin with 0.2 mL 3% oxazolone in 100% ethanol on days 0 and 1 followed by intrarectal administration of 0.15 mL 1% oxazolone in 50% ethanol on day 7. The disease activity index (DAI), histological changes of the colon, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and production of cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-4, IFN-gamma) by the mucosa were evaluated.
Results: There were obvious changes in the DAI, histology and MPO activity, and the production of interleukin-4 was markedly increased compared with the concentrations of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, which remained normal, in the lesions.
Conclusion: Oxazolone colitis is Th2-mediated and has similar histologic features and distribution of inflammation to ulcerative colitis (UC), which has important implications for the use of this model in the study of the pathogenesis and treatment of UC.