BALB/c-Il10 KO Mouse

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine secreted by activated T cells, monocytes, B cells, and macrophages, among other antigen-presenting cells. It exhibits broad biological activity. In immune regulation and inflammatory responses, IL-10 can reduce the expression of Th1 cytokines, MHC-II antigens, or co-stimulatory molecules. Simultaneously, it enhances B cell survival, proliferation, and antibody production. Both overexpression (as seen in systemic lupus erythematosus and tuberculosis) and deficiency (as observed in inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis) of IL-10 have pathological and physiological significance. IL-10 is a critical susceptibility gene for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and its functional defects play a central role in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC)-type IBD ^[1]. The genetic polymorphism of IL-10 may also contribute to the occurrence of UC-type IBD or Crohn’s disease (CD)-type IBD ^[2]. Therefore, IL-10 gene knockout mice exhibit a phenotype similar to human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are widely used in research related to relevant diseases ^[3].

During the gene editing process, using different mouse strain backgrounds may lead to differences in disease phenotypes. BALB/c strain and C57BL/6 strain exhibit significant differences in susceptibility to infection, resistance, and immune deficiencies. For specific applications such as evaluating antifungal drug efficacy, cancer treatment, and immunological research, the BALB/c strain has its unique advantages ^[4-6]. Research has found that IL-10-deficient BALB/c mice are more susceptible to colitis than mice of the C57BL/6 strain. Additionally, the disease phenotype is more severe in IL-10-deficient BALB/c mice, making them a more effective model for simulating the disease progression of human colitis ^[7].

This model is Il10 gene knockout mice, where the Il10 gene homologous to the human IL10 gene has been knocked out in BALB/cAnCya mice. Homozygous BALB/c-Il10 KO mice are viable and fertile. At 8 to 9 weeks of age, BALB/c-Il10 KO mice spontaneously develop colitis symptoms, characterized by weight loss, reduced survival rates, elevated levels of inflammatory factors, and abnormalities in intestinal inflammation and phenotype. BALB/c-Il10 KO mice can be used for research related to Crohn’s disease (CD), colitis, other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), cancer, congenital and adaptive immune disorders, as well as various inflammation or autoimmune conditions. It should be noted that due to individual variability and environmental factors, the disease presentation of this model may vary. The data in this manual are based on internal facility observations and are provided for reference. Actual disease presentation may vary; please use the mice according to your specific experimental conditions for best results.