title: Evaluating the glucose tolerance test in mice.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the optimal conditions under which to assess glucose tolerance in chow- and high-fat-fed C57BL/6J mice. Mice were fed either chow or high-fat diet for 8 wk. Variables tested were fasting duration (0-, 3-, 6-, and 24-h and overnight fasting), route of administration (intraperitoneal vs. oral) load of glucose given (2, 1, or 0.5 g/kg and fixed 50-mg dose), and state of consciousness. Basal glucose concentrations were increased in high-fat- compared with chow-fed mice following 6 h of fasting (9.1 +/- 0.3 vs. 7.9 +/- 0.4 mmol/l P = 0.01). Glucose tolerance was most different and therefore significant (P = 0.001) in high-fat-fed mice after 6 h of fasting (1,973 +/- 96 vs. 1,248 +/- 83 mmol.l(-1).120 min(-1)). The difference in glucose tolerance was greater following an OGTT (142%), in contrast to an IPGTT, with a 127% difference between high fat and chow. We also found that administering 2 g/kg of glucose resulted in a greater level of significance (P = 0.0008) in glucose intolerance in high-fat- compared with chow-fed mice. A fixed dose of 50 mg glucose regardless of body weight was enough to show glucose intolerance in high-fat- vs. chow-fed mice. Finally, high-fat-fed mice showed glucose intolerance compared with their chow-fed counterparts whether they were tested under conscious or anesthetized conditions. We conclude that 2 g/kg glucose administered orally following 6 h of fasting is best to assess glucose tolerance in mice under these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Univ. of Melbourne, Dept. of Medicine, Heidelberg Heights, Victoria, Australia. sof@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Sofianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrikopoulos
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deluca
authors.forename: Barbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Fam
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Proietto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000379:methods*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin