Use of hamster as a model to study diet-induced atherosclerosis

Abstract

Golden-Syrian hamsters have been used as an animal model to assess diet-induced atherosclerosis since the early 1980s. Advantages appeared to include a low rate of endogenous cholesterol synthesis, receptor-mediated uptake of LDL cholesterol, cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity, hepatic apoB-100 and intestinal apoB-48 secretion, and uptake of the majority of LDL cholesterol via the LDL receptor pathway. Early work suggested hamsters fed high cholesterol and saturated fat diets responded similarly to humans in terms of lipoprotein metabolism and aortic lesion morphology. Recent work has not consistently replicated these findings. Reviewed was the literature related to controlled hamster feeding studies that assessed the effect of strain, background diet (non-purified, semi-purified) and dietary perturbation (cholesterol and/or fat) on plasma lipoprotein profiles and atherosclerotic lesion formation. F1B hamsters fed a non-purified cholesterol/fat-supplemented diet had more atherogenic lipoprotein profiles (nHDL-C > HDL-C) than other hamster strains or hamsters fed cholesterol/fat-supplemented semi-purified diets. However, fat type; saturated (SFA), monounsaturated or n-6 polyunsaturated (PUFA) had less of an effect on plasma lipoprotein concentrations. Cholesterol- and fish oil-supplemented semi-purified diets yielded highly variable results when compared to SFA or n-6 PUFA, which were antithetical to responses observed in humans. Dietary cholesterol and fat resulted in inconsistent effects on aortic lipid accumulation. No hamster strain was reported to consistently develop lesions regardless of background diet, dietary cholesterol or dietary fat type amount. In conclusion, at this time the Golden-Syrian hamster does not appear to be a useful model to determine the mechanism(s) of diet-induced development of atherosclerotic lesions.

Plasma lipid profiling across species for the identification of optimal animal models of human dyslipidemia

“…Recently, NHPs, pigs, dogs, and hamsters on atherogenic diets have been used as models of human atherosclerosis (60)(61)(62). The hamster model is questioned because no consistent lesion development has been observed in several hamster strains ( 63 ). Larger animals, such as dog, pig, and NHPs are more attractive due to the ability to apply interventional procedures and imaging on the larger vessels, making them more suitable as models for clinical practice ( 59 ).…”

Animal Models as Tools for Translational Research: Focus on Atherosclerosis, Metabolic Syndrome and Type-II Diabetes Mellitus

“…The morphology of aortic foam cells and lesions in hamsters fed atherogenic diets was reported to be similar to human lesions [70]. Recently, in a systematic review Dillard and colleagues concluded that the Golden-Syrian hamster does not appear to be a constructive model to determine the mechanism(s) of diet-induced development of atherosclerotic lesions (see review [71]) however the authors only concentrated on atherogenecity of cholesterol-and fat-rich diets in hamster models of atherosclerosis.…”

“…They induced this model by feeding hamsters a highfat, high-cholesterol, inadequate methionine-and choline-containing diet. In addition to F1B hamster strain from Biobreeders (Watertown, MA) that commonly used to study dietinduced metabolic disorders other three outbred strains are Charles River (CR), Sasco and Harlan (see review [71]). All these strains are derived from inbred or outbred Golden-Syrian hamster.…”

Animal models for the atherosclerosis research: a review

“…Even with the limited data to date, the inbred F1B hamster has been more consistently reported to develop an atherogenic lipoprotein profile than any of the other three outbred strains (i.e., CR, Sasco (Kahlon et al, 1996;Kahlon et al, 1997), and Harlan hamsters (Lock et al, 2005;Tyburczy et al, 2009); for a review, see (Dillard et al, 2010)). However, due to the inconsistent and unrepeatable results of aortic lesions in response to dietary fat type in recent studies, hamsters are no longer a suitable model for studying dietinduced atherosclerosis (Dillard et al, 2010) (Table 1).…”

“…However, due to the inconsistent and unrepeatable results of aortic lesions in response to dietary fat type in recent studies, hamsters are no longer a suitable model for studying dietinduced atherosclerosis (Dillard et al, 2010) (Table 1).…”