Effects of liraglutide on metabolic syndrome in WBN/Kob diabetic fatty rats supplemented with a high-fat diet

Background:Liraglutide,a GLP-1 receptor agonist,has recently been used to treat metabolic syndrome(MS) because of its anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects.We have previously shown that Wistar Bonn Kobori diabetic and fatty(WBN/Kob-Leprfa,WBKDF) rats fed a high-fat diet(HFD) developed MS including marked obesity,hyperglycemia,and dyslipidemia.To obtain further information on WBKDF-HFD rats as a severe MS model,we performed a pharmacological investigation into the anti-MS effects of liraglutide in this model.Methods:Seven-week-old male WBKDF-HFD rats were allocated to three groups(n = 8 in each group):a vehicle group,a low-dose liraglutide group,and a high-dose liraglutide group.They received subcutaneous injections of either saline or liraglutide at doses of 75 or 300 μg/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks.Results:Results showed that liraglutide treatment reduced body weight gain and food intake in a dose-dependent manner.The marked hyperglycemia and the glucose tolerance were also significantly ameliorated in the liraglutide-treated groups.Moreover,liraglutide also reduced the plasma triglyceride concentration and liver fat accumulation.Conclusions:The present study demonstrated that liraglutide could significantly alleviate MS in WBKDF-HFD rats,and the reaction to liraglutide is similar to human patients with MS.WBKDF-HFD rats are therefore considered to be a useful model for research on severe human MS.