[Animal modeling]-Biochemical indexes and histopathological changes of early microvascular complications in diabetic ZDF rats

  Objective: To observe the biochemical indicators and pathological changes of early microvascular complications in ZDF rats with spontaneous type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

  Method: Take 6 male ZDF rats aged 7-8 weeks and feed them adaptively for 3 days, and then start to feed Purina#5008 feed. Another 8 male ZL rats of the same age are taken as normal control group and fed with ordinary feed. Test blood glucose (GLU), serum cholesterol (CHOL), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), hypersensitivity at 12, 14, and 16 weeks of age C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were sacrificed at 16 weeks of age, and pathological examinations of eyeball, kidney, heart, and brain tissue were performed.

  Results: The levels of GLU, CHOL, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and hsCRP in ZDF rats gradually increased. At 16 weeks of age, the contents of RBP, mALB and TRF in ZDF rats were significantly higher than those in ZL rats (P<0.01). The glomerulus, retina, myocardium, and brain have different degrees of microvascular disease. Some glomerular basement membranes are thickened, retinal endothelial cells increase, blood vessel walls are thickened, a small amount of myocardial fibrosis appears in the heart, and neurons in the hippocampus are abnormal.

  Conclusion: ZDF rats have early microvascular complications of T2DM at the age of 16 weeks. Among them, early T2DM nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiomyopathy are more prominent, and brain neurons are mildly diseased.