Effect of high fat diet on the serum biochemical parameters and histopathology of main organs in Mongolian gerbils / 中国比较医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect of high fat diet on serum biochemical parameters and histopathology of main organs in Mongolian gerbils.Methods Forty-eight healthy adult male Mongolian gerbils were randomly and equally divided into model and normal groups.The gerbils in the model group were fed with high fat diet while the normal group with standard diet.Eight gerbils in each group were killed at the end of 4th,8th and 16th week,respectively,and the body weight, serum levels of Glu, TG, CHOL, HDL-C, LDL-C, UA, CREA, BUN, TBil, TP, ALB, ALT, AST and AMS were determined.The histopathological changes of main organs were observed.Results Compared with the normal group,the blood lipid of the model gerbils was significantly increased, the liver function was impaired, the blood uric acid level was higher, and the blood glucose was decreased at the end of 16th week.The AMS was increased at the end of 16th week,but the renal function showed no significant changes.The liver tissue of the model group gradually showed steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis, accompanied by splenomegalia. The lung tissue and myocardium showed fatty degeneration and obvious damages in the later period,the pancreatic islets were enlarged and the amount of endocrine cells was increased,and the small intestine and kidney didn’ t show any distinct changes.Conclusions A gerbil models of hyperlipidemia and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis can be well established by high fat diet feeding,and may serve as good models for research of hyperlipidemia-related hyperuricemia, and lung and myocardial damages.