title: Profile of dyslipidemia in Psammomys obesus, an animal model of the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate lipid profiles in Psammomys obesus and relationships between lipid profile and other components of the Metabolic Syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 49 adults with a wide range of body weight and glucose tolerance were studied in a cross-sectional analysis. Plasma cholesterol distribution profiles were measured by size exclusion lipid chromatography. Blood glucose was measured using an enzymatic glucose analyser, and plasma insulin was determined by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obese diabetic Psammomys obesus had elevated plasma cholesterol (P=0.003) and triglyceride levels (p>0.001) compared to their lean littermates. The hypercholesterolemia was mainly due to increased circulating levels of VLDL-cholesterol (P=0.003) and LDL-cholesterol (P=0.003) in these animals. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that body weight was independently associated with plasma cholesterol (P=0.011) and LDL concentration (P=0.009), while plasma insulin was associated with VLDL-cholesterol concentration (P=0.005). All of the variables measured exhibited continuous distributions across a wide range of phenotypes, from a normal rodent lipid profile to profound dyslipidemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the dyslipidemia in obese, diabetic Psammomys obesus is closely associated with other components of the Metabolic Syndrome, including obesity and insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Research Unite, School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds 3217, Victoria, Australia. walder@deakin.edu.au
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walder
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Fahey
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: Paul Z
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Zimmet
authors.forename: Greg R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Collier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol