Collagen-induced and adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Post-immunization treatment with collagen to suppress or abrogate the arthritic response.

Immunization of Lewis rats with native type II collagen results in an inflammatory arthritis and increased humoral and cellular immune responses to type II collagen. The exposure of rats to native type II collagen at day 7 or 10 after immunization suppressed the incidence of arthritis and anticollagen antibody levels, although the cellular response was not affected. The exposure to denatured type II collagen offered partial protection, while type I collagen had no significant effect. Rats immunized with Mycobacterium tuberculosis also showed reduced arthritic response when subsequently treated with type II collagen. The common modalities between the 2 models and the possible role of type II collagen in the interference with the inflammatory arthritic events are discussed.