Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel 2011; 6 - P119
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1277390

C57BL/6JRj mice are protected against diet induced obesity (DIO)

A Lachmann 1, M Kern 1, M Stumvoll 1, P Kovacs 2, M Blüher 1, 3, N Klöting 4
  • 1Universität Leipzig, Medical Department für Innere Medizin, Dermatologie und Neurologie, Klinik für Endokrinologie und Nephrologie, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Klinische Forschung, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
  • 3IFB Adiposity Disease, Leipzig, Germany
  • 4IFB Adiposity Disease, Junior Research Group 2 'Animal models of obesity', Leipzig, Germany

Aim: Due to genetic heterogeneity and various environmental factors influencing obesity, identifying susceptibility genes remains a big challenge. Experimental animal models offer a great opportunity to overcome these issues. Genetic and phenotypic differences among various mice substrains might provide insights into the genetic background of obesity. We determined the influence of different diets on epigonadal fat mass in two C57BL/6 mice substrains. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis of genetic differences between both substrains.

Methods: 16 healthy lean male mice of two different substrains C57BL/6NTac (Taconic, Lille Skensved, Dänemark) and C57BL/6JRj (Janvier, St Berthevin, Frankreich) were fed with a high fat diet (HFD, C1057, Altromin, Lage, Deutschland) or standard diet (SD, Sniff, Soest, Deutschland) for 10 weeks. Phenotypical characterization included measurements of bodyweight, physical activity and food intake. Relative epigonadal fat mass was analyzed. Genetic differences between both substrains were analyzed using a panel of 1449 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers.

Results: Relative epigonadal fat mass and daily food intake were significantly different between both strains. The HFD group of C57Bl/6JRj mice showed a decreased relative epigonadal fat mass despite higher food intake. No significant difference in physical activity was observed. Moreover, we identified 11 chromosomal regions featuring genetic differences between both strains.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that C57BL/6JRj mice are protected against DIO and diverge genetically from the C57BL/6NTac substrain. Based on our findings, differences between various substrains need to be considered and carefully evaluated in comparative studies with mice from different substrains.