title: Changes of blood biochemistry in the rabbit animal model in atherosclerosis research; a time- or stress-effect.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rabbits are widely used in biomedical research and especially as animal models in atherosclerosis studies. Blood biochemistry is used to monitor progression of disease, before final evaluation including pathology of arteries and organs. The aim of the present study was to assess the consistency of the biochemical profile of New Zealand White rabbits on standard diet from 3 to 6 months of age, during which they are often used experimentally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight conventional male 3-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were used. Blood samples were taken at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 months later. Plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol concentrations, and alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase activities and malondialdehyde were measured. Statistically significant time-related changes were observed in glucose, total cholesterol and triacylglycerol, which were not correlated with aortic lesions at 6 months of age. Similarly, hepatic enzyme activity had significant time-related changes, without a corresponding liver pathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age progression and stress due to single housing may be the underlying reasons for these biochemistry changes. These early changes, indicative of metabolic alterations, should be taken into account even in short-term lipid/atherosclerosis studies, where age and standard diet are not expected to have an effect on the control group of a study.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research NS Christeas, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece. idontas@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Ismene A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Dontas
authors.forename: Katerina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Marinou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iliopoulos
authors.forename: Nektaria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsantila
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agrogiannis
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papalois
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karatzas
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D011817:Rabbits / Q000097:blood*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase