(1) The replication method involves dissolving egg protein in physiological saline to prepare a 20g/L solution, which is then thoroughly mixed with an equal amount of Freund's adjuvant. Subcutaneous injection into the back of animals, once a week, for 3 consecutive weeks to induce sensitization. Two weeks after the last injection, 5mg of dissolved egg protein was injected into the joint.
(2) Model characteristics Within 24 hours after injection, acute inflammation such as redness, swelling, heat and pain appeared in the joint of the injection site of the model animal, and the incidence rate reached 100%. The pathological changes in the arthritis model induced by ovalbumin include proliferation, formation of vascular opacities, and destruction of cartilage and bone. The first stage is joint swelling 24 hours after injecting antigen into the joint. The joint diameter can increase by 32%, and the pathological manifestation is acute synovitis with a large amount of exudate. Subsequently, the joint swelling decreased to some extent, but still remained larger than normal joint swelling. The second stage lasts from 1 to 4 weeks, with significant synovial hyperplasia and the formation of vascular opacities. Synovial cells increase from 1-3 layers to 5-10 layers, mainly consisting of monocytes and macrophages, followed by lymphocytes, with CD4+lymphocytes being more common. During this stage, some animals may experience early cartilage destruction. In the third stage, irreversible destruction of joint cartilage and bone occurs after 4 weeks, including necrosis of chondrocytes, cartilage fibrosis, formation of new subchondral bone, and finally bone deformation. Until the 6-month observation period, chronic inflammation still existed.
(3) The pathogenesis of the arthritis model induced by ovalbumin in comparative medicine is mainly due to the sustained presence of antigens in the joints, which stimulate synovial cells to secrete antibodies, form antigen-abdomino-C3 complexes, and cause the persistence of synovitis, synovial hyperplasia, and the formation of vascular opacities. Injecting antigens labeled with radioactive isotopes into rabbit joints, it was observed that the antigens were distributed in tissues without blood vessels but rich in fibers, with slow excretion and sustained existence for 6 months. The egg protein induced arthritis model can be replicated in animals such as rabbits and sheep. Since it does not require the use of inbreeding animals, the occurrence of inflammation is easy to replicate, and the joints are relatively large, making it more suitable for research on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, such as photodynamic therapy and non-invasive therapy.