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Efficient method for obtaining Lepob/Lepob-derived animal models using adipose tissue transplantations

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 938–944 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

Leptin-deficient mice (Lepob/Lepob, also known as ob/ob) are of great importance for studies of obesity, diabetes and other correlated pathologies. Thus, generation of animals carrying the Lepob gene mutation as well as additional genomic modifications has been used to associate genes with metabolic diseases. However, the infertility of Lepob/Lepob mice impairs this kind of breeding experiment.

Objective:

To propose a new method for production of Lepob/Lepob animals and Lepob/Lepob-derived animal models by restoring the fertility of Lepob/Lepob mice in a stable way through white adipose tissue transplantations.

Methods:

For this purpose, 1 g of peri-gonadal adipose tissue from lean donors was used in subcutaneous transplantations of Lepob/Lepob animals and a crossing strategy was established to generate Lepob/Lepob-derived mice.

Results:

The presented method reduced by four times the number of animals used to generate double transgenic models (from about 20 to 5 animals per double mutant produced) and minimized the number of genotyping steps (from 3 to 1 genotyping step, reducing the number of Lep gene genotyping assays from 83 to 6).

Conclusion:

The application of the adipose transplantation technique drastically improves both the production of Lepob/Lepob animals and the generation of Lepob/Lepob-derived animal models.

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Acknowledgements

We thank MM Oliveira (Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes) and JB Pesquero (UNIFESP, Brazil) for continuing support. This study was supported by grants from FAPESP (06/59081-6), CNPq and CAPES (PROCAD-0216/05-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    C C Barros, S S Almeida, M A Mori, V B Valero, A S Haro, E C Batista, M Würtele & R C Araújo

  2. University of Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil

    C C Barros, S S Almeida & T S Rosa

  3. School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    R F P Bacurau

Authors
  1. C C Barros
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  2. S S Almeida
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  3. M A Mori
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  4. V B Valero
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  5. A S Haro
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  6. E C Batista
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  7. T S Rosa
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  8. R F P Bacurau
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  9. M Würtele
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  10. R C Araújo
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Correspondence to R C Araújo.

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Barros, C., Almeida, S., Mori, M. et al. Efficient method for obtaining Lepob/Lepob-derived animal models using adipose tissue transplantations. Int J Obes 33, 938–944 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.95

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.95

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