A new system using NMR technology for measurement of body composition in experimental animals

Abstract

Measurement of body composition (fat mass) is an important item in pathophysiological and pharmacological studies using small animals (mice) in the fields of obesity and diabetes. The existing methods are, however, difficult, time consuming, and require a shielding facility. Now a novel system using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was developed for measurement of body composition in small animals (mice) that provides noninvasive and rapid measurement without anesthetics; we introduced and evaluated this system and tried another application of this system. First, we validated this system using canola oil, soft tissues (adipose and skeletal muscle), and various kinds of rodent chows. Accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of this system were demonstrated to be equal to those in standard chemical methods. A strong positive correlation (y=x) between the results of NMR and chemical methods was found. Secondly, we evaluated accuracy and assay range of the NMR method using live mice that were fasted overnight or fed high fat diet (HFD). In fasted mice, a small but quantitative decrease of fat mass (5.1% from 9.1%) was detected. Total decrease of fat and lean mass (5.0 g) in fasted mice was equivalent to the decrease of body weight (5.0 g). In mice fed the HFD, increase of fat mass with relative decrease of lean mass were qualitatively detected in a time-dependent manner. We would like to emphasize that operation of the system was actually easy and measurements were accomplished in a short time (1 minute). Thirdly, we tried to use the NMR system for determination of hepatic fat contents using mice fasted or treated with a PPARγ agonist; our results showed a quantitative increase in fat by fasting or in decrease in fat by the drug treatment. The changes of fat contents determined by the NMR method were well correlated with the changes in triglyceride and total cholesterol values obtained by the biochemical assays. In conclusion, body composition data acquired by the new NMR system are equivalent in accuracy and precision to classical chemical methods. The NMR analysis is simple, fast, and does not require anesthesia for acquisition of data, which are remarkable advantages compared to the existing methods. This system is expected to contribute to drug discovery and appropriate evaluation in the fields of obesity and diabetes.