Genetically engineered pig models for diabetes research

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has emerged into a steadily increasing health problem and the predicted future dimension of the global DM epidemic is alarming: an increase from currently 346 million to over 400 million affected people worldwide by the year 2030 was extrapolated. Thus concerted research efforts are imperative to gain insight into disease mechanisms and to expand the basis for development of preventive and therapeutic strategies. Diabetic rodent models have traditionally been used to follow these goals, but have limitations for translational research. The pig is another classical animal model for diabetes research. Genetic engineering now facilitates tailoring pig models which mimic human disease mechanisms at the molecular level. This article reviews the existing genetically engineered pig models for diabetes research and their current and future applications. Further, the potential role of the pig as donor of pancreatic islets for xenotransplantation or as host for growing human pancreas is outlined.

Comparative aspects of rodent and nonrodent animal models for mechanistic and translational diabetes research

“…As genetic modification is currently well established in the pig (see previously), several genetically modified pig models are available for diabetes research (reviewed in [6]). …”

Uterine Responses to the Preattachment Embryo in Domestic Ungulates: Recognition of Pregnancy and Preparation for Implantation

“…Genetically engineered pigs have been generated that exhibit a prediabetic (120,121) or even a clinically diabetic (122) condition. Although placentation differs between pigs (epitheliochorialis) and humans (hemochorialis), investigation of endometrium transcriptome and proteome profiles from these pig models may help to understand if and how maternal (pre)diabetes affects endometrial function and receptivity (123).…”

Dietary l-methionine restriction decreases oxidative stress in porcine liver mitochondria

“…The pig is very similar to the human in anatomy, nutrition, physiology and the immune system, and is an excellent animal model to study various human diseases (Meurens et al, 2012;Wolf et al, 2014). The use of pig as animal model has numerous advantages and contributes to the acquisition of new knowledge to improve both animal and human health (Meurens et al, 2012).…”