树鼩作为灵长类动物的近亲，是一种新型的实验动物，在生物医学上的应用越来越受到重视。但是，树鼩是否和人类一样，其体重和血糖值也与性别和年龄有关，可以作为人类代谢性疾病研究的动物模型？为解决这一问题，昆明动物研究所梁斌课题组对饲养在昆明动物所实验动物中心的992只树鼩（雄性，454只；雌性，538 只；年龄，4个月-4岁）的体重、血糖和年龄、性别的关系进行了研究。他们发现：雄性树鼩的体重和血糖值均显著高于雌性树鼩（P<0.001）。在雄性树鼩中，血糖值会随着体重增加而上升；而在雌性树鼩中，体重、血糖和腰围值随着年龄的增长而增加。
另外，为了探讨树鼩肥胖是否与糖脂代谢异常有关，对Lee氏指数（Lee Index = body weight (g)*0.33*1000/body length (cm)）大于290(代表肥胖树鼩)和低于290的树鼩（正常体重树鼩）的生长特征及血液生理生化指标进行了比较，发现肥胖树鼩的体重、腰围和糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）均显著高于体重正常的树鼩，表明树鼩肥胖会引起糖代谢紊乱。另外，还发现有6只树鼩出现了早期代谢综合症症状，如显著的高血脂，高糖化血红蛋白含量，及口服葡萄糖不耐受等。
这些研究结果表明，树鼩体重、血糖和年龄与性别之间的关系与人类和非人灵长类动物非常相似，表明树鼩可以作为人类代谢性疾病研究的动物模型。
该文章于近期在线发表于Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition上（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1111/jpn.12036
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Relationships between body weight, fasting blood glucose concentration, sex and age in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis)
X. Wu1,†,*, Q. Chang1,†, Y. Zhang1,†, X. Zou2, L. Chen3, L. Zhang1, L. Lv1, B. Liang1,*
The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) is a squirrel-like lower primate or a close relative of primates, commonly used as an animal model in biomedical research. Despite more than three decades of usage in research, the clear relationships between body weight, fasting blood glucose concentration, sex and age among tree shrews remain unclear. Based on an investigation of 992 tree shrews (454 males and 538 females) aged between 4 months and 4 years old, we found that male tree shrews have significantly higher body weight and fasting blood glucose concentration than female tree shrews (p < 0.001). The concentration of fasting blood glucose slightly increased with body weight in males (r = 0.152, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, in females, the body weight, concentration of fasting blood glucose and waist circumference positively increased with age (p < 0.001). Additionally, 17 tree shrews with Lee index [body weight (g)*0.33*1000/body length (cm)] above 290 had significantly higher body weight, waist circumference and glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) than non-obese tree shrews with a Lee index score below 290 (p < 0.001). Interestingly, 6 of 992 tree shrews (three males and three females, 2–4 years old) displayed impaired plasma triglycerides, HbA1c, low-density lipoprotein and oral glucose tolerance test, suggestive of the early symptoms of metabolic syndrome. This study provides the first clear relationships between body weight, fasting blood glucose concentration, sex and age in tree shrews, further improving our understanding of this relationship in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Given the similarity of tree shrews to humans and non-human primates, this finding supports their potential use as an animal model in the research of MetS.
