Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 31, 2025
Quantification of Atherosclerosis in Mice
Published on: June 12, 2019
High Pathological Reproducibility of Diet-induced Atherosclerosis in Microminipigs via Cloning Technology
Masayoshi Otake1, Hiroaki Kawaguchi2,3, Satoko Enya4
1Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center, Kikugawa, Japan; micropig@sp-exp.pref.shizuoka.jp.
Background/Aim:
The reproducibility of athero - sclerotic lesions was evaluated after the production of cloned-microminipigs and their offspring.
Materials And Methods:
Cloned-microminipig-parents were produced by microminipigsomatic cell nuclei. These parents were crossbred and delivered males (F1-offspring) were divided into two groups: normal chow diet (NcD)-fed and high-fat/high-cholesterol diet (HcD)-fed groups. One of the F1-offsprings was subjected to cloning, and delivered males (F1-clones) were fed with HcD. After 8 weeks, all animals were necropsied for patho - physiological studies compared to non-cloned-microminipigs.
Results:
HcD-fed F1-offspring and F1-clones, but not NcD-fed F1-offspring, exhibited increased serum lipid levels and systemic atherosclerosis, which were comparable to those of HcD-fed non-cloned-microminipigs. Homogeneity of variance analysis demonstrated that standard deviation values of serum lipoprotein and aortic atherosclerosis area from HcD-fed animals decreased in F1-offspring and F1-clones.
Conclusion:
HcD-induced atherogenesis was highly reproducible in F1-offsprings and F1-clones, indicating that the atherosclerosis-prone genomic background was preserved in the cloned-microminipigs, which can be used for studies on human atherosclerosis and related diseases.
Insights
Cloned microminipigs and their offspring reliably develop atherosclerosis when fed a high-fat diet, demonstrating preserved genetic backgrounds for disease research.
Area of Science:
- Animal cloning
- Cardiovascular research
- Atherosclerosis modeling
Background:
- Atherosclerosis research requires reproducible animal models.
- Microminipigs offer a potential model for human cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reproducibility of atherosclerotic lesions in cloned microminipigs and their offspring.
- To assess the utility of cloned microminipigs for atherosclerosis studies.
Main Methods:
- Microminipig somatic cell nuclear transfer was used to produce cloned parents.
- Offspring (F1) and clones (F1-clones) were fed either a normal chow diet or a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet.
- Pathophysiological studies were conducted after 8 weeks.
Main Results:
- High-fat diet induced comparable atherosclerosis in offspring and clones.
- Serum lipid levels and systemic atherosclerosis were increased in high-fat fed groups.
- Reduced variability in serum lipoprotein and aortic atherosclerosis was observed in cloned and offspring groups.
Conclusions:
- Atherogenesis induced by high-fat diet is highly reproducible in cloned microminipigs and their offspring.
- Cloned microminipigs maintain an atherosclerosis-prone genomic background.
- These cloned models are suitable for studying human atherosclerosis and related conditions.
