Assessing Whole-Body Lipid-Handling Capacity in Mice

Summary

This paper provides three easy and accessible assays for assessing lipid metabolism in mice.

Abstract

Assessing lipid metabolism is a cornerstone of evaluating metabolic function, and it is considered essential for in vivo metabolism studies. Lipids are a class of many different molecules with many pathways involved in their synthesis and metabolism. A starting point for evaluating lipid hemostasis for nutrition and obesity research is needed. This paper describes three easy and accessible methods that require little expertise or practice to master, and that can be adapted by most labs to screen for lipid-metabolism abnormalities in mice. These methods are (1) measuring several fasting serum lipid molecules using commercial kits (2) assaying for dietary lipid-handling capability through an oral intralipid tolerance test, and (3) evaluating the response to a pharmaceutical compound, CL 316,243, in mice. Together, these methods will provide a high-level overview of lipid handling capability in mice.

Introduction

Carbohydrates and lipids are two major substrates for energy metabolism. Aberrant lipid metabolism results in many human diseases, including type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver diseases, and cancers. Dietary lipids, mainly triglycerides, are absorbed through the intestine into the lymphatic system and enter the venous circulation in chylomicrons near the heart¹. Lipids are carried by lipoprotein particles in the bloodstream, where the fatty acid moieties are liberated by the action of lipoprotein lipase at peripheral organs such as muscle and adipose tissue². The remaining cholesterol-rich remnant part....

Protocol

Animals are housed in standardized conditions following animal-care and experimental protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Animals are fed a standard or special diet, water ad libitum, and kept with a 12-hour day/night cycle.

1. Measuring of fasting serum lipids

1. Transfer mice to a new cage after 5 PM and fast with free access to water, overnight (with around 16 hours of fasting before the experiment). The over.......

Discussion

The three assays described function robustly in the lab, with a few critical considerations. Overnight fasting is required for determining fasting serum lipid levels and oral intralipid tolerance test. For oral intralipid tolerance test, it is critical to spin the blood at room temperature to minimize the formation of a fat layer, especially at the 1- and 2-hour time points; it is important not to discard this fat layer if it forms. Make sure to transfer the supernatant with the lipid layer, and pipet gently to mix them .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
20% Intralipid	Sigma Aldrich	I141
BD Slip Tip Sterile Syringes 1ml	Shaotong	B07F1KRMYN
CL 316,243 Hydrate	Sigma-Aldrich	C5976
Curved Feeding Needles (18 Gauge)	Kent Scientific	FNC-18-2-2
Free Glycerol Reagent	Sigma Aldrich	F6428
Glycerol Standard Solution	Sigma	G7793
HR SERIES NEFA-HR(2)COLOR REAGENT A	Fujifilm Wako Diagnostics	999-34691
HR SERIES NEFA-HR(2)COLOR REAGENT B	Fujifilm Wako Diagnostics	991-34891
HR SERIES NEFA-HR(2)SOLVENT A	Fujifilm Wako Diagnostics	995-34791
HR SERIES NEFA-HR(2)SOLVENT B	Fujifilm Wako Diagnostics	993-35191
Ketamine	Vedco	50989-161-06
Matrix Plus Chemistry Reference Kit	Verichem	9500
Micro Centrifuge Tubes	Fisher Scientific	14-222-168
Microhematrocrit Capillary Tube, Not Heparanized	Fisher Scientific	22-362-574
NEFA STANDARD SOLUTION	Fujifilm Wako Diagnostics	276-76491
Phosphate Buffered Saline	Boston Bioproducts	BM-220
Thermo Scientific Triglycerides Reagent	Fisher Scientific	TR22421
Total Cholesterol Reagents	Thermo Scientifi	TR13421
Xylazine	Henry Schein	11695-4022-1