Development of diet induced obesity models in rats, comparison of metabolic and genetic effects

Abstract

The development of dietary obesity models in rats mimicking human obesity may help understanding its pathology and to evaluate new therapeutic strategies for treatment. We fed male Wistar rats either with a control chow diet (C), a 45%Kcal lard diet + 5% sucrose in water (LS) a chow diet +50%Kcal lard + 5% sucrose in water (CLS) or a chow diet + 20% sucrose in water (CS) for 22 weeks (W). At the end of study LS and CS diets increased hepatic and serum triglycerides, and these differences were found in CS diet since w 4. Hepatic SREBP‐1 mRNA was higher in LS and CS but FAS mRNA only increased in CS group. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 18 W revealed that rats fed LS, CLS and CS developed insulin resistance. Body weight was 29% higher in rats fed LS than the rest of the groups due to increased adipose tissue (AT) mass. Subcutaneous (S) and visceral (V) AT was increased 3 fold in LS with respect to C, 2 fold with respect to CLS and 75% with respect to CS. HSL, perilipin and PPAR gamma mRNA was higher in SAT of LS and CS rats, whether in VAT those genes increased only in CS and CLS. CS diet increased 3 fold the glomerular filtration rate. In conclusion this study demonstrates than the fat and carbohydrate content of the diet differentially induces obesity and comorbidities.Grant Funding Source: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán