Product Description

Dextran sulfate sodium salt, or DSS, is a branched glucan that triggers colitis in mice and rats when administered in drinking water. DSS binds to medium-chain-length fatty acids in the colon and induces intestinal inflammation. Dextran sulfate sodium is also used to precipitate lipoproteins and to release DNA from DNA-histone complexes.

Learn more about MP Biomedicals DSS with these articles from the National Library of Medicine from the National Institute of Health and the Nature Protocols Research Journal.

Application Notes

Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) is proven to have versatile value in biomedical/clinical research. DSS can be used to study colitis (Inflammatory Bowel disease) in research animals and can also be used as an antiviral agent. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic and relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is associated with increased risk of developing colitis-associated cancer. Several animal models have been used to study colitis and one such method involves the oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in the drinking water of mice, leading to chronic colitis. This DSS induced colitis model is spontaneous and is used to assess the therapeutic potential of treatments for IBD.

Bamba et al (2012) performed a comparative analysis of 3 different DSS preparations to examine the chemical and cytotoxic properties, as well as the severity of colitis. Their study concluded that the DSS from MP Bio induced severe colitis as indicated by body weight transition, DAI score, colon weight/length and histological scores. This DSS is well characterized and offers the highest sulfur content (19%), highest chirality (+104 ° ° of specific rotation), and lowest pH (6.2 at 1% solution).

Bamba S, Andoh A, Ban H, et al: The severity of dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis can differ between dextran sodium sulfate preparations of the same molecular weight range. Dig Dis Sci. 57:327-334. 2012

Usage Statement

Research Use Only (RUO). Unless otherwise stated in our catalog or other company documentation accompanying the product(s), our products are intended for research use only and are not to be used for any other purpose, which includes but is not limited to, unauthorized commercial uses, in vitro diagnostic uses, ex vivo or in vivo therapeutic uses or any type of consumption or application to humans or animals

Key Applications

Colitis, Antilipemic

Critical parameters and key factors in applications utilizing DSS for colitis research are discussed in an article in Current Protocols in Immunology: "The successful and reproducible induction of DSS-induced colitis depends on numerous key factors, including DSS source, lot #, molecular weight, concentration, duration, mouse strain, source, age, gender and body weight as well as environmental factors including the hygienic condition of the vivarium1. If high mortality is observed, suggesting high susceptibility to DSS, a decreased dose of DSS should be adopted. If no or weak colitis is observed, suggesting low susceptibility, and increase in DSS concentration/and or duration should be considered."

Nell S, Suerbaum S, Josenhans C. The impact of the microbiota on the pathogenesis of IBD: lessons from mouse infection models. Nature reviews. Microbiology. 2010;8:564-577.