‘SMASH’ recommendations for standardised microscopic arthritis scoring of histological sections from inflammatory arthritis animal models

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Fecha de publicación: Junio de 2021

Autores: Silvia Hayer, Margriet J Vervoordeldonk, Maria C Denis, Marietta Armaka, Markus Hoffmann, Johan Bäcklund, Kutty Selva Nandakuma, Birgit Niederreiter, Christina Geka, Anita Fischer, Nina Woodworth, Stephan Blüml, George Kollias, Rikard Holmdahl, Florence Apparailly, Marije I Koenders

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-219247

Background: Animal models for inflammatory arthritides such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis are widely accepted and frequently used to identify pathological mechanisms and validate novel therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, many publications reporting on these animal studies lack detailed description and appropriate assessment of the distinct histopathological features of arthritis: joint inflammation, cartilage damage and bone erosion. Therefore, the European consortium BeTheCure, consisting of 38 academic and industrial partners from 15 countries, set as goal to standardise the histological evaluation of joint sections from animal models of inflammatory arthritis. The consensual approach of a task force including 16 academic and industrial scientists as well as laboratory technicians has resulted in the development of the Standardised Microscopic Arthritis Scoring of Histological sections (‘SMASH’) recommendations for a standardised processing and microscopic scoring of the characteristic histopathological features of arthritis, exemplified by four different rodent models for arthritis: murine collagen-induced arthritis, collagen–antibody-induced arthritis, human tumour necrosis factor transgenic Tg197 mice and rat pristane-induced arthritis, applicable to any other inflammatory arthritis model.

Leer más