title: Anatomic, hematologic, and biochemical features of C57BL/6NCrl mice maintained on chronic oral corticosterone.
abstract: Metabolic syndrome is a condition that typically includes central obesity, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a regulator of corticosterone secretion, occurs in some cases of metabolic  syndrome and obesity, and Cushing hypercortisolemia is associated with obesity and metabolic disorders. We therefore assessed anatomic and clinical pathology in C57BL/6NCrl mice to evaluate the effects of chronic corticosterone in the drinking water at doses of 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL for  25 d. Treated mice developed obesity, glucose intolerance, electrolyte aberrations, and dyslipidemia that were dose-dependent and most severe in the 100-mu;g/mL treatment group. To evaluate return to normal function, additional C57BL/6NCrl mice received corticosterone-free water for 2 wk after  the 25-d treatment period. According to results of gross examination, mice appeared to recover within days of exogenous corticosterone withdrawal; however, adrenal gland vacuolation and protein, lipid, and electrolyte abnormalities persisted. Together, these findings support chronic corticosterone  exposure through the drinking water as a potentially useful, noninvasive method to induce some features of metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, and The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. cassano@nyspi.columbia.edu
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Kelley A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Penraat
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Skye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Ilia N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Karatsoreos
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003345:Corticosterone