Alternative dietary interventions in mice
I. Purpose
Lifestyle diseases such as obesity and type-2 diabetes are rising in the world which requires novel approaches to prevent or reverse the unfortunate outcomes of such diseases. In the past, plant-based bioactive compounds have been identified to be effective in minimising the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome (Oh et. al. 2016, Nutrition Research and Practice). However, studies focusing on the role of seaweeds and their bio-active compounds derived from local marine sources (such as Norwegian seaweeds) on the development of metabolic diseases including obesity are limited.
The purpose of this project is to understand the impacts of bio-active compounds of brown seaweeds (total polyphenols and polysaccharides) on the lipid metabolism, gut health and whole body energy metabolism in mice. According to §10, the purpose is: a) Applied research (anvendt forskning).
II. Expected distress
The experimental procedures described under this protocol are categorised as mild or moderate. The whole animal experiment is rated as “Moderate Experiment”, with low expected distress for the animals.
III. Expected benefits
The obtained results will increase our understanding of the beneficial impacts of local marine seaweeds and its bio-active compounds on whole body metabolism and tissue-specific physiological functions in mice. Since mice is a mono-gastric animal with similar body (digestive) physiology and function as in humans, the outcomes of this will be applicable for humans to evaluate novel anti-obesity compounds of future pharmaceutical importance or with a possibility of being new food additives.
IV. Number and type of animals
The proposal includes male and female C57BL/6 mice required for dietary interventions where mice will be exposed to various treatment and control diets. Such dietary interventions will last for up to 24 weeks period.
In total it is applied for 120 mice pr year x 4 years = 480 mice.
V. Adherence to the 3Rs
Supplemental experiments will be performed in cell culture whenever possible; but whole animals are needed to understand the physiological role of the various dietary interventions. The laboratory mouse is a good model to study pathophysiology of human diseases; with a physiology similar to humans and well-established methods for dietary intervention and metabolic phenotyping (Morse III H.C., 2007). Mice will be used to enable collection of organs, tissues and cells; sampling of that would not be possible with human research subjects. Alternatives to animal use therefore do not exist.
To reduce animal use, factorial design is used whenever possible and power analysis is performed in advance not to overuse the animals to achieve similar scientific information. In addition, to ensure efficient use of laboratory animals, single mice will be subjected to a set of experimental procedures described in this application whenever possible.
Lifestyle diseases such as obesity and type-2 diabetes are rising in the world which requires novel approaches to prevent or reverse the unfortunate outcomes of such diseases. In the past, plant-based bioactive compounds have been identified to be effective in minimising the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome (Oh et. al. 2016, Nutrition Research and Practice). However, studies focusing on the role of seaweeds and their bio-active compounds derived from local marine sources (such as Norwegian seaweeds) on the development of metabolic diseases including obesity are limited.
The purpose of this project is to understand the impacts of bio-active compounds of brown seaweeds (total polyphenols and polysaccharides) on the lipid metabolism, gut health and whole body energy metabolism in mice. According to §10, the purpose is: a) Applied research (anvendt forskning).
II. Expected distress
The experimental procedures described under this protocol are categorised as mild or moderate. The whole animal experiment is rated as “Moderate Experiment”, with low expected distress for the animals.
III. Expected benefits
The obtained results will increase our understanding of the beneficial impacts of local marine seaweeds and its bio-active compounds on whole body metabolism and tissue-specific physiological functions in mice. Since mice is a mono-gastric animal with similar body (digestive) physiology and function as in humans, the outcomes of this will be applicable for humans to evaluate novel anti-obesity compounds of future pharmaceutical importance or with a possibility of being new food additives.
IV. Number and type of animals
The proposal includes male and female C57BL/6 mice required for dietary interventions where mice will be exposed to various treatment and control diets. Such dietary interventions will last for up to 24 weeks period.
In total it is applied for 120 mice pr year x 4 years = 480 mice.
V. Adherence to the 3Rs
Supplemental experiments will be performed in cell culture whenever possible; but whole animals are needed to understand the physiological role of the various dietary interventions. The laboratory mouse is a good model to study pathophysiology of human diseases; with a physiology similar to humans and well-established methods for dietary intervention and metabolic phenotyping (Morse III H.C., 2007). Mice will be used to enable collection of organs, tissues and cells; sampling of that would not be possible with human research subjects. Alternatives to animal use therefore do not exist.
To reduce animal use, factorial design is used whenever possible and power analysis is performed in advance not to overuse the animals to achieve similar scientific information. In addition, to ensure efficient use of laboratory animals, single mice will be subjected to a set of experimental procedures described in this application whenever possible.