Novel canine models of obese prediabetes and mild type 2 diabetes

Human type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is often characterized by obesity-associated insulin resistance (IR) and β-cell function deficiency. Development of relevant large animal models to study T2DM is important and timely, because most existing models have dramatic reductions in pancreatic function and no associated obesity and IR, features that resemble more T1DM than T2DM. Our goal was to create a canine model of T2DM in which obesity-associated IR occurs first, followed by moderate reduction in β-cell function, leading to mild diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Lean dogs ( n = 12) received a high-fat diet that increased visceral (52%, P < 0.001) and subcutaneous (130%, P < 0.001) fat and resulted in a 31% reduction in insulin sensitivity (SI) (5.8 ± 0.7 × 10−4 to 4.1 ± 0.5 × 10−4 μU·ml−1·min−1, P < 0.05). Animals then received a single low dose of streptozotocin (STZ; range 30–15 mg/kg). The decrease in β-cell function was dose dependent and resulted in three diabetes models: 1) frank hyperglycemia (high STZ dose); 2) mild T2DM with normal or impaired fasting glucose (FG), 2-h glucose >200 mg/dl during OGTT and 77–93% AIRg reduction (intermediate dose); and 3) prediabetes with normal FG, normal 2-h glucose during OGTT and 17–74% AIRg reduction (low dose). Twelve weeks after STZ, animals without frank diabetes had 58% more body fat, decreased β-cell function (17–93%), and 40% lower SI. We conclude that high-fat feeding and variable-dose STZ in dog result in stable models of obesity, insulin resistance, and 1) overt diabetes, 2) mild T2DM, or 3) impaired glucose tolerance. These models open new avenues for studying the mechanism of compensatory changes that occur in T2DM and for evaluating new therapeutic strategies to prevent progression or to treat overt diabetes.