A transgenic mouse model reproduces human hereditary systemic amyloidosis.

Amyloidoses are rare life-threatening diseases caused by protein misfolding of normally soluble proteins. The fatal outcome is predominantly due to renal failure and/or cardiac dysfunction. Because amyloid fibrils formed by all amyloidogenic proteins share structural similarity, amyloidoses may be studied in transgenic models expressing any amyloidogenic protein.

D25V apolipoprotein C-III variant causes dominant hereditary systemic amyloidosis and confers cardiovascular protective lipoprotein profile.

Apolipoprotein C-III deficiency provides cardiovascular protection, but apolipoprotein C-III is not known to be associated with human amyloidosis. Here we report a form of amyloidosis characterized by renal insufficiency caused by a new apolipoprotein C-III variant, D25V. Despite their uremic state, the D25V-carriers exhibit low triglyceride (TG) and apolipoprotein C-III levels, and low very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)/high high-density lipoprotein (HDL) profile.

Transient micro-elastography: A novel non-invasive approach to measure liver stiffness in mice.

Aim: To develop and validate a transient micro-elastography device to measure liver stiffness (LS) in mice.

Methods: A novel transient micro-elastography (TME) device, dedicated to LS measurements in mice with a range of measurement from 1-170 kPa, was developed using an optimized vibration frequency of 300 Hz and a 2 mm piston. The novel probe was validated in a classical fibrosis model (CCl(4)) and in a transgenic murine model of systemic amyloidosis.

Postprandial metabolic and hormonal responses of obese dyslipidemic subjects with metabolic syndrome to test meals, rich in carbohydrate, fat or protein.

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of heterogeneous abnormalities conferring increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Few postprandial studies have been conducted in MS individuals.

Objectives: We aimed to study MS subjects with the same abnormalities: abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and low plasma HDL.