The probiotic mixture VSL#3 has differential effects on intestinal immune parameters in healthy female BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice

Background: Probiotic bacteria may render mice resistant to the development of various inflammatory and infectious diseases. Objective: This study aimed to identify mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria may influence intestinal immune homeostasis in noninflammatory conditions. Methods: The effect of VSL#3, a mixture of 8 probiotic bacteria, on...

Cytokines and atherosclerosis: A comprehensive review of studies in mice

In the past few years, inflammation has emerged as a major driving force of atherosclerotic lesion development. It is now well-established that from early lesion to vulnerable plaque formation, numerous cellular and molecular inflammatory components participate in the disease process. The most prominent cells that invade in evolving lesions are...

Niacin increases HDL by reducing hepatic expression and plasma levels of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice

Objective - Niacin potently decreases plasma triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol. In addition, niacin is the most potent HDL-cholesterol- increasing drug used in the clinic. In the present study, we aimed at elucidation of the mechanism underlying its HDL-raising effect. Methods and Results - InAPOE*3Leiden transgenic mice expressing the human...

Leptin deficiency per se dictates body composition and insulin action in ob/ob mice

Obese humans are often insulin- and leptin resistant. Since leptin can affect glucose metabolism, it is conceivable that a lack of leptin signal transduction contributes to insulin resistance. It remains unclear whether leptin affects glucose metabolism via peripheral and/or central mechanistic routes. In the present study, we aimed: (i) to...

Drug-eluting stents studies in mice: Do we need atherosclerosis to study restenosis?

In 2001, the first human study with drug-eluting stents (DES) was published showing a nearly complete abolition of restenosis by using a sirolimus-eluting stent. This success was very encouraging to test new compounds in combination with the DES platform. Nevertheless, several other anti-restenotic compounds have been used in human clinical...

Human CD46-transgenic mice in studies involving replication-incompetent adenoviral type 35 vectors

Wild-type strains of mice do not express CD46, a high-affinity receptor for human group B adenoviruses including type 35. Therefore, studies performed to date in mice using replication-incompetent Ad35 (rAd35) vaccine carriers may underestimate potency or result in altered vector distribution. Here, it is reported that CD46 transgenic mice (MYII...

Hypercholesterolemia reduces collateral artery growth more dominantly than hyperglycemia or insulin resistance in mice

OBJECTIVE - Collateral artery development (arteriogenesis), a vital compensatory mechanism in patients with arterial obstructive disease, may be deregulated by vascular risk factors, eg, diabetes or hypercholesterolemia. Here, we compared the effects of either disturbed glucose metabolism or disturbed lipid metabolism on arteriogenesis. METHODS...

Decreased collagen organization and content are associated with reduced strength of demineralized and intact bone in the SAMP6 mouse

To examine the link between bone material properties and skeletal fragility, we analyzed the mechanical, histological, biochemical, and spectroscopic properties of bones from a murine model of skeletal fragility (SAMP6). Intact bones from SAMP6 mice are weak and brittle compared with SAMR1 controls, a defect attributed to reduced strength of the...

Alpha 2(I) collagen deficient oim mice have altered biomechanical integrity, collagen content, and collagen crosslinking of their thoracic aorta

Collagen and elastin are the primary determinants of vascular integrity, with elastin hypothesized to be the major contributor to aortic compliance and type I collagen the major contributor to aortic strength and stiffness. Type I collagen is normally heterotrimeric composed of two α1(I) and one α2(I) collagen chains, α1(I)2α2(I). Recent...

No effect of C-reactive protein on early atherosclerosis development in apolipoprotein E*3-Leiden/human C-reactive protein transgenic mice

Objective - C-reactive protein (CRP) has been associated with risk of cardiovascular disease. It is not clear whether CRP is causally involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Mouse CRP is not expressed at high levels under normal conditions and increases in concentration only several-fold during an acute phase response. Because the...

The effect of the food matrix on In Vivo immune responses to purified peanut allergens

There is little knowledge about the factors that determine the allergenicity of food proteins. One aspect that remains to be elucidated is the effect of the food matrix on immune responses to food proteins. To study the intrinsic immunogenicity of allergens and the influence of the food matrix, purified peanut allergens (Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h...

Intracerebroventricular administration of melanotan II increases insulin sensitivity of glucose disposal in mice

Aims/hypothesis: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of central administration of melanotan II (MTII), a melanocortin-3/4 receptor agonist, on hepatic and whole-body insulin sensitivity, independent of food intake and body weight. Methods: Over a period of 24 h, 225 ng of MTII was injected in three aliquots into the left...

Recent advances using rodent models for predicting human allergenicity

The potential allergenicity of newly introduced proteins in genetically engineered foods has become an important safety evaluation issue. However, to evaluate the potential allergenicity and the potency of new proteins in our food, there are still no widely accepted and reliable test systems. The best-known allergy assessment proposal for foods...

Sixteen hours of fasting differentially affects hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity in mice

Fasting readily induces hepatic steatosis. Hepatic steatosis is associated with hepatic insulin resistance. The purpose of the present study was to document the effects of 16 h of fasting in wild-type mice on insulin sensitivity in liver and skeletal muscle in relation to 1) tissue accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) and 2) changes in mRNA...

Food allergy: What do we learn from animal models?

Purpose of review This review summarizes selected articles on animal models of food allergy published in 2003. The research areas that are covered include mechanistic studies, the search for new therapies, as well as screening models for hazard identification of potential allergens. Recent findings Novel treatment options of both prevention and...

Effect of genetic background and diet on plasma fibrinogen in mice. Possible relation with susceptibility to atherosclerosis

Many epidemiological studies suggest that elevated plasma fibrinogen concentrations form one of the most important independent risk factors in blood for cardiovascular disease and particularly atherosclerosis in humans. To clarify the effect of genetic factors, diets and their interactions on plasma fibrinogen concentrations, we examined plasma...

Comparison of the X-gal- and P-gal-based systems for screening of mutant λlacZ phages originating from the transgenic mouse strain 40.6

The recent introduction of the phenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (P-gal)-based positive-selection system for screening of λlacZ phages originating from the λlacZ transgenic mouse (Muta Mouse) has made the determination of mutant frequencies (MF) a much simpler task. Previously, MF data from these mice have been collected by means of the 5-bromo-4...

The involvement of the intestinal microflora in the expansion of CD4+ T cells with a naive phenotype in the periphery

It is well known that immune reactivity declines with age. Recently, we demonstrated that the age-related decrease in IL-2 production by CD4+ T cells was accompanied by an increased production of IL-4 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). This age-related shift in the profile of lymphokine production was related to phenotypic changes within the CD4+...