Multiparametric and semiquantitative scoring systems for the evaluation of mouse model histopathology - a systematic review

Robert Klopfleisch

doi:10.1186/1746-6148-9-123

Abstract

BackgroundHistopathology has initially been and is still used to diagnose infectious, degenerative or neoplastic diseases in humans or animals. In addition to qualitative diagnoses semiquantitative scoring of a lesion`s magnitude on an ordinal scale is a commonly demanded task for histopathologists. Multiparametric, semiquantitative scoring systems for mouse models histopathology are a common approach to handle these questions and to include histopathologic information in biomedical research.ResultsInclusion criteria for scoring systems were a first description of a multiparametric, semiquantiative scoring systems which comprehensibly describe an approach to evaluate morphologic lesion. A comprehensive literature search using these criteria identified 153 originally designed semiquantitative scoring systems for the analysis of morphologic changes in mouse models covering almost all organs systems and a wide variety of disease models. Of these, colitis, experimental autoimmune encephalitis, lupus nephritis and collagen induced osteoarthritis colitis were the disease models with the largest number of different scoring systems. Closer analysis of the identified scoring systems revealed a lack of a rationale for the selection of the scoring parameters or a correlation between scoring parameter value and the magnitude of the clinical symptoms in most studies.ConclusionAlthough a decision for a particular scoring system is clearly dependent on the respective scientific question this review gives an overview on currently available systems and may therefore allow for a better choice for the respective project.

Highlights

Histopathology has initially been and is still used to diagnose infectious, degenerative or neoplastic diseases in humans or animals
Scoring systems for murine intestinal disease models Eighteen original scoring systems for colitis models could be identified. Most of these scoring systems were designed for dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis models but 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis and several models of immunopathologic colitis were used to establish scoring systems (Table 1, Figure 1)
It separates the colon into three segments which are scored by the parameters of crypt loss, inflammation and affected area

Summary

Introduction

Histopathology has initially been and is still used to diagnose infectious, degenerative or neoplastic diseases in humans or animals. Histopathology has initially been and is still used today to diagnose infectious, degenerative or neoplastic diseases in humans or animals. These qualitative diagnoses are based on a sum of observable changes in the morphology of the analyzed tissue. Decades of experience in veterinary pathology show that this approach allows for reproducible qualitative diagnoses by the observer but can Absolute quantification of the lesions extent and severity is difficult since two main problems hamper absolute quantification, i.e. on a rational scale with absolute values of 1, 2, 3 etc., using standard, non-automated histopathology. In most circumstances it is impossible to objectively justify the interval between two values, a read out of histopathologic scoring on a rational scale is impossible

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