Maximal locomotor depression follows maximal ankle swelling during the progression of arthritis in K/BxN mice

It is well established that arthritis depresses locomotion in humans as well as in animal disease models. The K/BxN mouse model resembles rheumatoid arthritis and is widely used for research. Here, we investigate the behavioral alterations of arthritic K/BxN mice during arthritis development with respect to horizontal locomotion. Locomotor activity measurements and the methodology of ankle thickness measurements are compared to demonstrate the feasibility of motion tracking in the K/BxN mouse model. Arthritic K/BxN mice show significantly decreased locomotion compared to their non-arthritis K/BxN littermates. We found an indirect correlation of ankle thickness and locomotor activity. However, both parameters are only partially interdependent resulting in temporal displacement of maximal ankle swelling and maximal depression of locomotion by 1 week. Assessing the impaired movement as a behavioral test appears to be a valuable multifactorial parameter for the evaluation of arthritis in the K/BxN mouse model and provides additional information on disease progression and severity.