Streptozotocin-induced diabetic cynomolgus monkey is a model of hypertriglyceridemia with low high-density...

Hypertriglyceridemia with low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease. We attempted to create an animal model of hypertriglyceridemia with low HDL cholesterol by intravenously injecting 30 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin (STZ) to cynomolgus monkeys. This induced hypoinsulinemia and resulted in a decrease in postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and LPL enzyme mass, reduction of plasma HDL cholesterol and elevation of triglycerides. Low HDL cholesterol subsequently caused a reduction of HDL2b cholesterol, while hypertriglyceridemia caused an elevation of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceridemia. Apolipoprotein CII, a co-factor of LPL, was not affected by STZ administration. These results show that hypertriglyceridemia with low HDL cholesterol results from a reduction of LPL activity without affecting apolipoprotein CII after STZ administration. The STZ-induced diabetic cynomolgus monkey is a model of hypertriglyceridemia with low HDL cholesterol, and may be potentially beneficial for studying atherosclerosis caused by hypertriglyceridemia with low HDL cholesterol.