Controlled induction of type 2 diabetes in mice using high fat diet and osmotic-mini pump infused streptozotocin

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive metabolic disorder characterised by obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperglycaemia. The long time-course of T2D in humans makes accurate modelling of sustained T2D in animal models difficult. The goal of this study was to develop and characterise an accurate and reproducible, non-transgenic model of sustained T2D in mice. Adult, male C57BL/6 mice were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 17 weeks. From weeks 3-5, osmotic mini-pumps were implanted subcutaneously to slowly infuse streptozotocin (STZ; 200-350 mg/kg) for 14-days after which mini-pumps were removed. Body weight, blood glucose concentration, and glucose tolerance were monitored for 12 weeks post STZ treatment. Our data demonstrate that the combination of HFD and 200 mg/kg STZ delivered by mini-pump leads to increased blood glucose concentrations and impaired glucose tolerance, while maintaining obesity and hepatic dyslipidaemia. In week 17, plasma insulin concentration was assessed and showed that with STZ treatment, mice still produce insulin, but that this is reduced compared with mice on HFD only. Lastly, we examined pancreas sections using immunohistochemistry and show that there is no overt loss of beta cell mass. In conclusion, we demonstrate development of a reproducible in vivo model of T2D in mice that replicates a number of key pathophysiological changes seen in humans with T2D.