Session: Companion Animals

109 - Diet-induced Clinical Responsiveness of Translational Dog Model for Human Western Diet (WD)-related Disease Research

Thursday, July 15, 2021

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM EST

Location: Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), M101 & 102

Presenting Author(s)

CI

Chelsea A. Iennarella-Servantez, n/a

DVM/PhD Student
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa

Author(s)

AK

Aarti Kathrani

Royal Veterinary College
London, England
DS

Dipak Sahoo

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
EL

Elizabeth Long

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
CZ

Christopher Zdyrski

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
VG

Vojtech Gabriel

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
SM

Sichao Mao

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
AB

Agnes Bourgois-Mochel

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
MR

Mara Resop

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
LR

Lili Rund

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
MR

Mariana C. Rossoni-Serao

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
AJ

Albert Jergens

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
JM

Jonathan Mochel

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
KA

Karin Allenspach

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa

Human consumption of Western diets (WD) has been strongly associated with increased central obesity, adipocyte hypertrophy, intestinal epithelial stemness/proliferation, dyslipidemia, and blood pressure. These changes reflect metabolic dysfunction and contribute to increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer. As comprehensive molecular/clinical comparisons have not been performed, the objective of this study was to evaluate diet-induced changes in dogs as a clinically-responsive model for human WD-related disease research.

Methods: In a crossover design, 10 dogs were fed either a 1.) control diet (CON) formulated based on the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges and fiber recommendations for humans; or 2.) Western diet (WD) formulated based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset parameters. Diets were prepared cooked with the same ingredients and formulated to meet/exceed nutrient/energy requirements for both humans/dogs and fed isocalorically based on calculated metabolizable energy (ME). Following each period (~7-8 weeks), experimental parameters were measured. Results/

Conclusions: Mean body weights were 8.83 and 9.28kg for CON and WD diets, respectively (P = 0.0018). Fasted (10-hour) blood samples differed significantly (P < 0.01) for mean fasting bile acids (CON=0.79, WD=8.94μmol/L), serum triglycerides (CON=45.70, WD=67.80mg/dL), and serum cholesterol (CON=140.10, WD=175.40mg/dL) demonstrating diet-dependent alterations in lipid profiles. Mean systolic blood pressures were 131.66 and 140.02mmHg for CON and WD, respectively (P < 0.0001). Histological analysis revealed diet-dependent changes in colonic epithelial villus height (CON=182, WD=207μm) and villus:crypt ratio (CON=2.61, WD=3.89). Preliminary RNA-ISH analysis (n = 3 dogs) showed increased LGR5+ expression (intestinal stem-cell marker) in WD compared to CON group (P = 0.0019) suggesting an increased “stemnness” of colonic epithelium. Further, mean adipocyte diameters were increased in omental fat biopsies (CON=58.6, WD=62.5μm; P < 0.0001) but not subcutaneous fat biopsies (P >0.05) following WD feeding, consistent with centralized obesity. Collectively, these results demonstrate effects of diet-induced changes in dogs as a clinically-responsive model for human WD-related disease research.