Researchers from the University of Hannover, led by the renowned Andrè Bleich, utilized DVC® to see whether it can aid in detecting disease progression in a commonly used, acute colitis (DSS) model in a scalable way.
The researchers used the DSS compound at different concentrations (1.5 and 2.5%) and restraint stress to induce colitis. Alongside this, the researchers monitored body-weight and nesting capabilities for clinical observation.
This research found a meaningful correlation between the disease progression and the locomotion activity in DSS-treated animals as detected by DVC®. Additionally, the DVC® was capable of identifying further animal distress due to animal restraint necessary to induce colitis, such effects were also observed in the clinical signs of the burdened animals.
Overall, the DVC® was suggested to be a large scale monitoring tool that could identify contactless disease progression and objectively assess humane endpoints as confirmed from the clinical signs in an acute DSS model.
