ABSTRACT
Objective To reproduce a rat model of metabolic syndrome (MS) to analyze the variations of related gene expression. Methods 30 male rats aged 8w were randomly divided into two groups, the rats in NC group (control) were fed with normal diet (10% fat and 0.5% salt ), and those in metabolic syndrome (MS) group with high fat diet (49% fat and 2% salt). The body weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood lipid and fasting insulin level were serially measured. Such feedings were continued for 24 weeks, and then the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and hyperinsuline-euglycemic gomphosis test were performed, and carotid arterial pressure and visceral fat were measured. RT-PCR was used to detect the genes related to energy consumption, glucose-lipid metabolism in white adipose, brown adipose and muscle tissue. Results Compared with NC group, all the variables were increased significantly, such as body weight, visceral fat weight, blood pressure, serum levels of TG and FFA. A marked insulin-resistance and decreased glucose tolerance were found in MS group. Hyperinsuline-euglycemic gomphosis test revealed that the mRNA expression of 23 genes related to glucose-lipid and energy metabolism changed significantly in white adipose, brown adipose and muscle tissue in MS group as compared with NC group. Conclusion Prolonged high fat plus high salt diet may cause the clinical features of MS in rats. The changes in various genes may be involved in the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis.