Efficient method for obtaining Lep(ob)/Lep(ob)-derived animal models using adipose tissue transplantations

Area of Science:

• Animal models
• Metabolic research
• Reproductive biology

Background:

• Leptin-deficient (Lep(ob)/Lep(ob)) mice are vital for studying obesity and diabetes.
• Their inherent infertility hinders the creation of complex genetic models for metabolic diseases.
• Existing breeding strategies are inefficient and resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a stable method for restoring fertility in Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) mice.
• To enable efficient production of Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) and derived animal models.
• To overcome breeding limitations in metabolic disease research.

Main Methods:

• Subcutaneous transplantation of 1g peri-gonadal white adipose tissue from lean donors into Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) mice.
• Implementation of a crossing strategy to generate Lep(ob)/Lep(ob)-derived mouse models.
• Utilizing adipose tissue grafts to restore reproductive capacity.

Main Results:

• The novel method significantly reduced the number of animals required for generating double transgenic models by fourfold (from ~20 to 5).
• Genotyping steps were minimized from three to one, decreasing Lep gene assays from 83 to 6.
• Successful restoration of fertility in Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) mice was achieved.

Conclusions:

• Adipose tissue transplantation is a highly effective technique for improving Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) animal production.
• This method streamlines the generation of Lep(ob)/Lep(ob)-derived animal models.
• The approach offers a more efficient and less resource-intensive solution for metabolic research.