Changes of blood biochemistry in the rabbit animal model in atherosclerosis research; a time- or stress-effect

Lipids in Health and Disease

Theodore Karatzas⁴  Apostolos Papalois⁶  George Agrogiannis¹  Nektaria Tsantila⁵  Dimitrios Iliopoulos⁷  Katerina A Marinou²  Ismene A Dontas³ 

[1] 1st Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece;Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Department of Diagnosis for Porcine Diseases, Athens, Greece;Laboratory for Research of the Musculoskeletal System, KAT Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece;2nd Department of Propedeutic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece;Laboratory of Pesticides Toxicology, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Athens, Greece;Experimental - Research Center ELPEN Pharma, Pikermi, Greece;Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research "N.S. Christeas", School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece

关键词: control animals;    time-related changes;    stress;    aging;    blood biochemistry;    atherosclerosis;    rabbit;    Animal model;   

Others  :  1212553
DOI  :  10.1186/1476-511X-10-139

 received in 2011-03-23, accepted in 2011-08-14,  发布年份 2011

【 摘 要 】

Background

Rabbits are widely used in biomedical research and especially as animal models in atherosclerosis studies. Blood biochemistry is used to monitor progression of disease, before final evaluation including pathology of arteries and organs. The aim of the present study was to assess the consistency of the biochemical profile of New Zealand White rabbits on standard diet from 3 to 6 months of age, during which they are often used experimentally.

Methods and results

Eight conventional male 3-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were used. Blood samples were taken at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 months later. Plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol concentrations, and alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase activities and malondialdehyde were measured. Statistically significant time-related changes were observed in glucose, total cholesterol and triacylglycerol, which were not correlated with aortic lesions at 6 months of age. Similarly, hepatic enzyme activity had significant time-related changes, without a corresponding liver pathology.

Conclusions

Age progression and stress due to single housing may be the underlying reasons for these biochemistry changes. These early changes, indicative of metabolic alterations, should be taken into account even in short-term lipid/atherosclerosis studies, where age and standard diet are not expected to have an effect on the control group of a study.

【 授权许可】

   
2011 Dontas et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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