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(Balb/c) IL-10 knockout interleukin-10 mice

Jiangsu Aniphe BioLab, leveraging a high‑standard laboratory animal platform, maintains an off‑the‑shelf supply of (BALB/c) IL‑10 KO mice. Benefiting from the unique immunological background of the BALB/c strain, this model exhibits heightened sensitivity and distinctive phenotypes in studies of intestinal inflammation, Th2‑biased immune responses, and mucosal immunity. Our company offers genetically confirmed, pure‑line knockout mice, supported by a stable ready‑to‑ship inventory, helping you bypass time‑consuming breeding and genotyping procedures and accelerating your research on immunity and inflammation.

Strain Introduction

Interleukin‑10 (IL‑10) is a key anti‑inflammatory cytokine that maintains intestinal immune homeostasis. In this strain, the Il10 gene has been knocked out on an inbred BALB/c background, resulting in spontaneous, severe chronic colitis that can progress to colorectal cancer. This model is a premier system for investigating the inflammatory–carcinogenic transformation of the gut, host–microbiota interactions, and Th2/Th17 immune polarization.

Product Advantages

The inflammatory phenotype is prominent.

BALB/c mice exhibit a Th2‑skewed immune response, and IL‑10 knockout leads to a robust inflammatory cascade; compared with the C57BL/6 background, they develop colitis earlier and with more extensive tissue damage, thereby mimicking human refractory inflammatory bowel disease.

Spontaneous inflammation-to-cancer transformation

SPF‑bred mice develop spontaneous colonic adenocarcinomas after 6 months of age, driven by chronic endogenous inflammation and requiring no exogenous chemical carcinogens such as AOM or DSS, making them suitable for studies on the inflammatory–cancer transformation in the gut.

Intestinal and extraintestinal immune crosstalk

In addition to colitis, the presence of small‑intestinal inflammation and lymphadenopathy, along with a Th2‑type humoral immune hyperresponse, makes this model suitable for investigating how intestinal inflammation triggers systemic immune dysregulation.

Highly sensitive to the microbial flora

Susceptible to opportunistic pathogens, the gut microbiota composition significantly influences disease severity and can serve as an in vivo model for assessing the pro-inflammatory functions of the microbiota.

The pharmacological efficacy evaluation window is clearly defined.

A stable, active enteritis develops within 8–12 weeks, and multiple biomarkers can be quantified at baseline, making it suitable for evaluating the efficacy of anti-inflammatory targets, small molecules, and biologics.

 

Data parameters

Strain Name

BALB/c-Il10^tm1Cgn^/J (abbreviated as BALB/c-IL-10 KO)

Targeted gene

Il10 (Interleukin 10)

Mutant site

A portion of exon 1 was replaced by the neomycin resistance gene (neo), resulting in premature transcription termination and complete loss of IL‑10 protein function.

Types of gene editing

Constitutive Knockout

Genetic background

BALB/cJ (backcross generation N≥12, ensuring homologous introgression)

Microbial Grade

SPF grade

Application areas

● Mechanisms and Efficacy Evaluation of Severe Refractory IBD: The model exhibits rapid inflammatory progression and pronounced lesions, enabling the evaluation of the efficacy of novel anti-inflammatory agents such as IL‑23p19 antagonists and S1PR1 modulators, while also mimicking refractory enteritis—a condition unresponsive to conventional therapies.
● Mechanisms and Intervention Studies of Colorectal Cancer Associated with Intestinal Inflammation (CAC): Mice develop spontaneous colonic adenocarcinomas between 6 and 9 months of age, without the need for chemical carcinogens; they are well suited for investigating the entire process of inflammation–cancer progression and for evaluating the inhibitory effects of anti-inflammatory therapies, microbiota modulation, and dietary interventions on the transition from inflammation to cancer.
● Screening for pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic functions of the gut microbiota: It exhibits a sensitive response to strain colonization and can be used to screen pathogenic and protective commensal bacteria, enabling the construction of microbiota‑dependent colitis models through single‑strain or combined‑strain colonization.
● Th2/Th17 Immune Shift and Allergic–Autoimmune Cross-Regulation Mechanisms: The concurrent presence of Th2 and Th17 immune dominance is well suited for studying complex immunopathological conditions, such as atopic disorders with autoimmune comorbidities and biologic‑agent‑associated eosinophilic enteritis.
● Research on the intestinal barrier and the mechanisms of inflammatory diarrhea: Severe inflammation induces increased intestinal epithelial permeability and dysregulated ion secretion, making it a useful tool for evaluating intestinal barrier repair, tight junction regulation, and interventions for inflammatory diarrhea.

Breeding Techniques and Precautions

Strictly control inbreeding systems to mitigate genetic divergence.

Standardized management of microbial communities

This model microbial community is highly sensitive; environmental factors, feed, and water sources can readily induce phenotypic drift. Therefore, standardized SPF housing conditions are essential, and sentinel mice should be used for regular monitoring of pathogenic bacteria to ensure experimental reproducibility.

 

Strictly control environmental stimuli to reduce experimental stress.

Standardized Breeding Strategy

Prioritize inbreeding among heterozygotes to ensure pup survival rates comparable to those of littermate controls; for large-scale breeding of homozygotes, pair mildly affected homozygous mice aged 8–10 weeks.

 

Standardize breeding management to improve the survival rate of pups.

Vital sign monitoring and standardized nursing care

Regularly monitor body weight, fecal characteristics, and perianal conditions; implement dietary interventions in cases of sudden weight loss or rectal prolapse. The use of non‑experimental antibiotics is strictly prohibited to maintain microbial homeostasis.

 

Monitor age-related spontaneous lesions and eliminate experimental confounding.

Standardized Management of Feed and Water Supply

A standardized low-fat diet was used to prevent exacerbation of inflammation; water intake and antibiotic use were strictly restricted, with thorough documentation and the inclusion of recovery controls when necessary.

 

Literature support

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q1: What are the main differences between BALB/c IL‑10 KO and B6‑IL‑10 KO, and how should one choose?

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A: Both are whole-body Il10 knockout strains, but their genetic backgrounds give rise to profoundly different phenotypes, which directly influence your research objectives and endpoint design.

Feature

BALB/C-IL-10 KO

B6-IL-10 KO

Age at onset of inflammation

Early (obvious histological inflammation is visible as early as 8–10 weeks)

Later (usually 10–12 weeks)

Distribution and Severity of Inflammation

Pancolitis, severe, with a greater propensity for transmural inflammation.

Mostly focal to moderate, predominantly involving the mucosal layer.

Spontaneous Colitis-Associated Cancer (CAC)

After 6 months of age, adenocarcinoma can develop spontaneously, without the need for AOM.

Typically, AOM/DSS–induced administration is required; the spontaneous tumorigenesis rate in this strain is low.

Immune response bias

Dual Th2/Th17 advantage, high IgG1/IgE ratio, often accompanied by systemic lymphoproliferation.

A Th1/Th17 hybrid profile, with a more pronounced elevation of IFN-γ.

Involvement of the small intestine

Common moderate-to-severe small intestinal inflammation

Involvement of the small intestine is mild or rare.

Microbial susceptibility

It is highly sensitive to pathogenic commensal bacteria such as Helicobacter and Enterococcus; even a small number of colonizing organisms can trigger fulminant colitis.

It relies on microorganisms but is relatively “tolerant”; after antibiotic treatment, it readily returns to baseline.

Therapeutic Window and Applications

Severe IBD modeling, comprehensive studies on the inflammatory–cancer transformation process, screening of pro-inflammatory microbial functions, and toxicity assessment of biologic agents.

Classical IBD mechanism studies, preliminary pharmacological screening, and infection‑immune regulation

Selection Recommendation:

If you are interested in the intrinsic mechanisms of “inflammation–cancer transformation” or require a CAC model without chemical carcinogens, BALB/c-IL-10 KO is the only option.

If you require rapid efficacy validation for severe, refractory IBD—such as with anti‑IL‑23 agents or JAK inhibitors—the BALB/c background, characterized by robust inflammation and excellent reproducibility, often provides a clearer therapeutic window.

If you are conducting bone marrow transplantation or adoptive transfer, be mindful of the MHC differences between BALB/c and B6 backgrounds, as these may limit donor–recipient compatibility.

If the laboratory already maintains a large stock of B6 tool mice and only requires moderate intestinal inflammation for gene–gene interaction studies, the B6 strain is recommended.

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