Principles and Applications of Rabbit Models for Atherosclerosis Research

Abstract

Rabbits are one of the most used experimental animals for biomedical research, particularly as a bioreactor for the production of antibodies. However, many unique features of the rabbit have also made it as an excellent species for examining a number of aspects of human diseases such as atherosclerosis. Rabbits are phylogenetically closer to humans than rodents, in addition to their relatively proper size, tame disposition, and ease of use and maintenance in the laboratory facility. Due to their short life spans, short gestation periods, high numbers of progeny, low cost (compared with other large animals) and availability of genomics and proteomics, rabbits usually serve to bridge the gap between smaller rodents (mice and rats) and larger animals, such as dogs, pigs and monkeys, and play an important role in many translational research activities such as pre-clinical testing of drugs and diagnostic methods for patients. The principle of using rabbits rather than other animals as an experimental model is very simple: rabbits should be used for research, such as translational research, that is difficult to accomplish with other species. Recently, rabbit genome sequencing and transcriptomic profiling of atherosclerosis have been successfully completed, which has paved a new way for researchers to use this model in the future. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent progress using rabbits with specific reference to their usefulness for studying human atherosclerosis.

Grape Leucoanthocyanidin Protects Liver Tissue in Albino Rabbits with Nonalcoholic Hepatic Steatosis

“…The rabbit is a good experimental model for diseases related to obesity (e.g., atherosclerosis, erectile dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases) [Fonseca Jr. et al, 2016;Fan et al, 2018]. The use of LDL as a primary energetic source, the heterogeneity of HDL molecules, the role of the liver in cholesterol regulation, and the better response to hyperlipidic diets makes the rabbit a more suited model than the rat or mouse for NAFLD due to the similarities with the metabolism of humans [Fan et al, 2018].…”

“…The use of LDL as a primary energetic source, the heterogeneity of HDL molecules, the role of the liver in cholesterol regulation, and the better response to hyperlipidic diets makes the rabbit a more suited model than the rat or mouse for NAFLD due to the similarities with the metabolism of humans [Fan et al, 2018].…”

Rabbit Biomodels of Human Diseases Developed Using New Genomic Technologies. Crispr/Cas9 (Review)

“…Последовательности генов кроликов имеют гомологию с генами человека больше, чем у грызунов. Ранний эмбриогенез и гаструляция (процесс образования зародышевых листков) кролика более близки к человеку, что позволяет использовать кролика как репродуктивную модель [20]. Тератогенный эффект талидомида, не проявлявшийся на мышах, был подтвержден на кроликах [42].…”

“…Природные мутанты с наследуемой гиперлипидемией несут мутацию сдвига рамки считывания в гене рецептора липопротеина низкой плотности, и у них развивается атеросклероз даже при нормальном питании. Модели кролика, в т. ч. и трансгенные, активно используются для исследования липидного обмена, атеросклероза, остеоартроза [20,21].…”

Renovascular Hypertension Aggravates Atherosclerosis in Cholesterol-Fed Rabbits

“…Cholesterol-fed rabbits are a unique model for the study of human atherosclerosis because rabbits are sensitive to a cholesterol diet and rapidly develop atherosclerosis in aortas and coronary arteries [13, 14]. Furthermore, in contrast to rodents (mice and rats), many features of the lipid metabolism in rabbits are similar to those in humans.…”