The establishment of a rheumatoid arthritis primate model in Macaca fascicularis

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that mostly affects the joints and leads to the destruction of cartilage. An RA model in non-human primates is especially useful because of their close phylogenetic relationship to humans in terms of cross-reactivity to compounds developed using modern drug technologies. METHODS: We used a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model in Macaca fascicularis. CIA was induced by the immunization of chicken type II collagen. Swelling was measured as the longitudinal and transverse axes of 16 proximal interphalangeal joints. RESULTS: A new system for visual evaluation was created, with a perfect score of 16. Individual behavioral analysis was also conducted. Serum was collected once a week after the first immunization. Blood chemistry and inflammatory cytokine parameters were higher in the CIA group than in the wild type group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we established CIA in M. fascicularis, and the results can be used for drug evaluation models.