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Impaired reverse cholesterol transport and hepatic steatosis contribute to pathogenesis of high fat dietinduced hyperlipidemia in murine models


Xiaohui ZXH Zeng
Dongmei SDM Sun
Nan YN Yao
Yuxing CYX Chen
Dake CDK Cai
Xuejun HXJ Huang
Dane HDE Huang
Haining GHN Gan
Qiaohuang ZQH Zeng
Jingyu ZJY Zhao
Lin HL Huang

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the pathogenesis of high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia (HLP) in mice, rats and hamsters and to comparatively evaluate their sensitivity to HFD.
Methods: Mice, rats and hamsters were fed with high-fat diet formulation (HFD, n = 8) or a control diet (control, n = 8) for 4 weeks. Changes in body weight, relative liver weight, serum lipid profile, expressions of hepatic marker gene of lipid metabolism and liver morphology were observed in three hyperlipidemic models.
Results: Elevated total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and body weight were observed in all hyperlipidemic animals (p < 0.05), while hepatic steatosis was manifested in rat and hamster HLP models, and increased hepatic TC level was only seen (p < 0.05) in hamster HLP model. Suppression of HMG-CoA reductase and up-regulation of lipoproteinlipase were observed in all HFD groups. Hepatic gene expression of LDLR, CYP7A1, LCAT, SR-B1, and ApoA I, which are a response to reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), were inhibited by HFD in the three models. Among these models, simultaneous suppression of HMG-CR, LCAT, LDLR and SR-BI and elevated LPL were features of the hamster model.
Conclusion: As the results show, impaired RCT and excessive fat accumulation are major contributors to pathogenesis of HFD-induced murine HLP. Thus, the hamster model is more appropriate for hyperlipidemia research.

Keywords: Hyperlipidemic model, Murine, Hamster, mRNA, Reverse cholesterol transport, High-fat diet, Pathogenesis


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eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996