The eSS rat, a nonobese model of disordered glucose and lipid metabolism and fatty liver.
BACKGROUND
eSS is a rat model of type 2 diabetes characterized by fasting hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and early hypertriglyceridemia. Diabetic symptoms worsen during the second year of life as insulin release decreases. In 12-month-old males a diffuse hepatic steatosis was detected. We report the disturbances of lipid metabolism of the model with regard to the diabetic syndrome.


METHODS
The study was conducted in eight 12-month-old eSS male rats and seven age/weight matched eumetabolic Wistar rats fed with a complete commercial diet al libitum. Fasting plasmatic glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density and high-density lipoprotein, and nonesterified fatty acids levels were measured. Very low density and intermediate-density lipoproteins were analyzed and hepatic lipase activity was determined.


RESULTS
eSS rats developed hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, indicating insulin resistance. Compared with controls, diabetic rats exhibited high plasmatic levels of NEFA, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (Chol) and LDL-Chol while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values were reduced. eSS rats also displayed TG-rich VLDL and IDL particles without changes in hepatic lipase activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The nonobese eSS rats develop a syndrome characterized by glucose and lipid disorders and hepatic steatosis that may provide new opportunities for studying the pathogenesis of human type 2 diabetes.
Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas, Universidad Nacional deRosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Stella M
SM
Daniele
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.|Consejo de Investigaciones, Universidad nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Silvana M
SM
Montenegro
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.|Consejo de Investigaciones, Universidad nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
María C
MC
Tarres
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Juan C
JC
Picena
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.|Consejo de Investigaciones, Universidad nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Stella M
SM
Martinez