Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

This protocol describes the use of a body composition analyzer and metabolic animal monitoring system to characterize body composition and metabolic parameters in mice. An obesity model induced by high-fat feeding is used as an example for the application of these techniques.

Transcript

The goal if this procedure is to collect body composition and metabolic measurements from mice such as fat and lean mass percentages and energy expenditure. This methods can help answer important questions regarding mice metabolism such as, how fat are my mice? And why are my mice so fat?

The main advantage with this techniques is that they can be completed in living conscious mice and therefore can be repeated numerous times through out a study. Prior to scanning mice perform a system test on the body composition analyzer machine once the machine has warmed up for a few hours. Use the standards called Canola Oil System Test Sample or COSTS.

Open the system software then click the System Test toolbar button or by pressing alt+Y on the keyboard. Before starting the test, put the correct standard inside the gantry of the system. Then run the diagnostic test following the system prompts as needed.

After the system has passed the test proceed with the diagnosis of a mouse. Now put the mouse in a holder. A red opaque holder is the least stressful.

Position the holder at a 45 degree angle and insert the mouse. Then slowly and carefully raise the holder until it is vertical. Next insert a delimiter into the holder to limit the movement of the mouse.

In some circumstances, with extremely active mice, it may be necessary to manually secure the delimiter. Now within the software select a folder to save the data to and create a filename. Next if necessary, reduce the amount of random noise in the fat and lean measurements by increasing the number of Primary Accumulations of the scan.

Usually however, the default settings will give the necessary level of precision. If data for free water and total water aren't needed, then turn off the water stage by using the appropriate toggle. This will significantly speed up the scan.

Now initiate the scan my selecting Start Scan or by pressing F5 on the keyboard. Enter all relevant data about the animal and press OK or F5 to commence the scan which will take about a minute. After collecting the data return the animal back to its cage.

Always safely clean the acrylic holder between uses such as with warm soapy water. Later, once all of the animals have been scanned export the data for further analysis and collation. Before beginning, make sure the machine has been on for over two hours.

In the Animal Monitoring System, open the control program and select the Oxymax utility option from the tool menu to initiate the pumps. Then check the desiccant and replace it with fresh dry material if needed. Also, check the condition of the ammonia trap and soda lime and replace it if needed.

Next, connect the calibration gas tank to the system using a regulator and hose. Then open the valve and output five to 10 PSI of gas. Next in the software, select Calibration from the Tools menu and check that the sample and reference flows are at precisely 0.4 liters per minute.

Then check that the zirconia oxygen sensor is heated to 725 degrees Celsius give or take one degree Celsius. Next make certain that the sample and reference drier and air pumps are all ON and double check that the calibration gas is attached and tuned on. Now proceed with the calibration and as needed slightly adjust the OFFSET control on the front of the zirconia oxygen sensor to achieve an oxygen ratio value within acceptable limits.

After successfully calibrating the oxygen and carbon dioxide sensors, detach the gas standard and read the oxygen levels of atmospheric gas which should be about 20.92. If measuring food intake, consider using powdered mouse diet. Then load the food hopper by depressing the spring loaded platform.

Next fill the water bottles and organize the food. Now weigh and inspect the health of the mice before proceeding to assemble the chambers. Next place the food hopper on the balance.

Above it, place the chamber with the perforated platform. Then carefully place the mouse in the chamber and attach a lid using the front and back clips. Then fasten on the water bottle to complete the set-up.

Now set up the next mouse and after all the mice are ready, double check the chamber lids, mice, and water. To run the experiment, select Experimental File Open from the menu. Then select the appropriate template.

Next, under Setup, define the parameters of the experiment that should be recorded and deselect any chambers not in use. Then select the location for the experiment to be saved. If food intake is to be measured, tare the scales.

Then start the capturing of data by selecting Run in the Experiment menu. The first 24 hours can be used as an acclamation phase and the next 24 plus hours, used for data analysis. At least twice a day, check on the animals and the data collection.

Make certain each has access to food and water and look for signs of distress such as digging of the perforated flooring. In the software check the real time data collection. Go to the Metabolic tab to look at oxygen consumption, RER and energy expenditure.

O2IN should read between 20.90 and 20.94 CO2IN should read approximately 0.04 RER should read between 0.7 and one the flow rate should be at a constant 0.5 to 0.6 liters per minute. Under the Activity tab, real time data on beam breaks is displayed. Under the Feeding tabs, real time data on food consumption is displayed.

To finish the experiment, select Stop from the Experiment menu and export the results as CSV files for analysis. Then inspect the health of the mice, weigh them, and then return them to their home cages. In the following graphs, the black squares represent mice fed the high fat diet and the black circles represent the mice fed the standard chow diet.

Changes in body composition parameters caused by high fat feeding were measured via EchoMRI using the described procedures. After one week on the high fat diet, there was a significant weight gain which increased by three weeks. The weight change could be clearly attributed to a change in fat mass.

It was not due to a change in lean mass, free water content or total water content. In the following bar graphs, the white columns represent the chow fed mice and the black columns represent the high fat fed mice. V02 measurements when normalized to animal mass showed no changes after the three week period.

Similarly energy expenditure measurements when normalized to animal mass showed no changes. Physical activity measured by beam breaks, varied by time of day but was the same for both groups. Food intake was not different when normalized to body mass.

This amount is significantly more energy intake with the high fat diet. Once established as it is non invasive the body composition analysis can be conducted on a daily basis if necessary. While extended animal metabolic monitoring sessions may be considered more stressful to the mice due to the social isolation, these analysis can also be performed numerous times within a The implications of these techniques extend towards identifying therapeutic targets for obesity and metabolic disorders such as type two diabetes by the careful metabolic phenotyping of mice in regards to genetic manipulations or drug treatments.

Ultimately not only can these methods provide insights for obesity but also for other conditions such as mass models of sarcopenia, cancer cachexia, muscular dystrophy or widi dystrophy.

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Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

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