title: Establishment of a model of spontaneously-running-Tokushima-shikoku rats with left atrial thrombosis.
abstract: Studies that investigate the underlying mechanisms of disease and treatment options typically require the use of a suitable animal model. Few suitable animal models exist for left atrial thrombosis. Here, we demonstrated that the Spontaneously-Running-Tokushima-Shikoku (SPORTS) rat - a Wistar strain known for its running ability-is predisposed to the development of thrombi in the left atrium. We investigated the incidence of left atrial thrombosis in male (n = 16) and female (n = 17) SPORTS rats and observed organized atrial thrombosis in 57% and 38% of males and female rats, respectively. In the male rats, systolic blood pressures and heart rates were significantly higher in SPORTS rats than in control Wistar rats. We could not find any evidence of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, during electrocardiographic examination of SPORTS rats. We believe that the SPORTS rat could serve as a new research model for left atrial thrombosis; further, it may be suitable for research investigating the development of new antithrombotic approaches for the control of atrial thrombosis or familial thrombophilia in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition Management, Faculty of Health Science, Hyogo University, 2301 Shinzaike, Hiraoka-cho, Kakogawa, Hyogo 675-0195, Japan ; Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Takamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human Life Science, Shikoku University, 23-1 Ebisuno Furukawa, Oujinn-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 771-1192, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hisaoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morishima
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Nagakatsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mawatari
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory of Clinical Nutrition Management, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, 422-8526 Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Environmental Pathology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Keisuke
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakaya
keywords: atrial thrombosis; heart; rat