Transcriptome profiling of visceral adipose tissue in a novel obese rat model, WNIN/Ob & its comparison with other animal models.

Background & Objectives: Adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity is linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. We studied the differential gene expression in retroperitoneal adipose tissue of a novel obese rat model, WNIN/Ob, to understand the possible underlying transcriptional changes involved in the development of obesity and associatedcomorbidities in this model.

Methods: Four month old, male WNIN/Ob lean and obese rats were taken, blood was collected and tissues were dissected.

Leptin gene promoter DNA methylation in WNIN obese mutant rats.

Background: Obesity has become an epidemic in worldwide population. Leptin gene defect could be one of the causes for obesity. Two mutant obese rats WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GROb, isolated at National Centre for Laboratory Animal Sciences (NCLAS), Hyderabad, India, were found to be leptin resistant.

Activation of sorbitol pathway in metabolic syndrome and increased susceptibility to cataract in Wistar-Obese rats.

Purpose: Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide, and of late, epidemiological studies indicate a preponderance of cataracts under obesity conditions. Although cataract is a multifactorial disorder and various biochemical mechanisms have been proposed, the influence of obesity on cataractogenesis has yet to be investigated. In such a scenario, a suitable animal model that develops cataract following the onset of obesity will be a welcome tool for biomedical research.

Vitamin A decreases pre-receptor amplification of glucocorticoids in obesity: study on the effect of vitamin A on 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 activity in liver and visceral fat of WNIN/Ob obese rats.

Background: 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) catalyzes the conversion of inactive glucocorticoids to active glucocorticoids and its inhibition ameliorates obesity and metabolic syndrome. So far, no studies have reported the effect of dietary vitamin A on 11β-HSD1 activity in visceral fat and liver under normal and obese conditions. Here, we studied the effect of chronic feeding of vitamin A-enriched diet (129 mg/kg diet) on 11β-HSD1 activity in liver and visceral fat of WNIN/Ob lean and obese rats.