Researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, used a mouse model of osteoarthritis with DVC®. The newly developed biomarker regularity disruption index (RDI) revealed that mice in which the osteoarthritis was induced have an increased weekly RDI parameter indicating disrupted daily activity rhythm and welfare issues. The mice with osteoarthritis treated with mesenchymal stem cells or derived extracellular vesicles displayed a similar pattern to the sham control group. The behavioral findings were confirmed in the other behavioral tests (rotarod) to assess pain.
The pain absence in treated animals was not due to reduced joint pain but rather a reduced knee-innervating sensory neuron hyperexcitability.
These results confirm the benefits of employing digital biomarkers in home cage monitoring settings for a better model description while leaving the animals completely undisturbed.
