J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2009 Jun;16(2):95-99. 10.4078/jkra.2009.16.2.95.

Induction of Animal Model of Scleroderma with Repeated Injection of Bleomycin

• Lee SK
• Na YI
• Jang SM
• Paik SS
• Sung YK
• Jun JB

• KMID: 2202124
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4078/jkra.2009.16.2.95

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To induce a mouse model of scleroderma with repeated bleomycin injections for research into human scleroderma at our research laboratory.
METHODS
The protocol of Yamamoto et al. was replicated to establish the bleomycin-induced mouse model of scleroderma.
RESULTS
A mouse model of scleroderma was induced by repeated subcutaneous injections of bleomycin. The dermal thickness increased with homogeneous and thickened collagen bundles. Semiquantitative measurements of dermal fibrosis were prominent in bleomycin-treated mice.
CONCLUSION
A mouse model of scleroderma was induced with repeated injections of bleomycin at our laboratory.

Keyword

Scleroderma; Animal model; Bleomycin

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bleomycin
Collagen
Fibrosis
Humans
Injections, Subcutaneous
Mice
Models, Animal
Bleomycin
Collagen

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Histopathologic comparison of dermal thickness and fibrosis in C3H/He mice. Mice were treated with PBS 100 μg/ml (1), bleomycin 10 μg/ml (2), or bleomycin 100 μg/ml (3) for 28 days (A: H&E stain, B: Masson's Trichrome stain, magnification ×100). There was no dermal sclerosis or fibrosis in the PBS-treated group. However, bleomycin-treated mice showed increase of dermal thickness and fibrosis. The dermis from the bleomycin-treated group was filled with thickened and homogeneous collagen bundles with cellular infiltrates.

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  Fig. 2. Dermal thickness in PBS- or bleomycin-treated mice. H-E stained skin section of mice were evaluated by two pathologists blinded to the treatment group. Repeated injection of bleomycin (10 μg/ml) did not affect dermal thickness; however, 100 μg/ ml of bleomycin significantly increased the dermal thickness (by ANOVA). NS: non-significant, PBS: phosphate buffered saline, BLM: bleomycin.

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  Fig. 3. Bleomycin-induced increase of dermal fibrosis. Repeated injection of bleomycin induced an increase in the degree of fibrosis (arbitrary number: 0∼＋4, by ANOVA). NS: non-significant. PBS: phosphate buffered saline, BLM: bleomycin.

Reference

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