树鼩在人类代谢性疾病中的应用与展望

Application of tree shrews in human metabolic diseases and prospects

随着人类物质生活水平的提高和生活方式的改变,代谢相关性疾病已成为国内外影响人群健康的重要问题。构建合适的动物模型是研究这类疾病发生、发展、转归和防治方法的重要手段,与目前广泛使用的啮齿类动物模型相比,攀鼩目动物树鼩与灵长类动物的亲缘关系更近,能够更好地从整体水平模拟疾病的发生,应用前景十分广阔。目前国内外利用树鼩初步建立了包括糖尿病、动脉粥样硬化、非酒精性脂肪肝、胆结石及骨质疏松症等代谢性疾病的动物模型,并对其机制及相关影响因素进行了研究。本文概述了树鼩在人类代谢性疾病中应用的研究进展。

With the improvement of human material living standards and the change of lifestyle associated with modern living,metabolic-related diseases,which affect the health of people globally,have become an important issue.To study the occurrence,development,transformation,and prevention of this kind of disease,it is vital to construct an appropriate animal model.Tree shrews(Scandentia animals)have a closer phylogenetic relationship with primates,which makes the former a useful animal model,compared with the widely used rodent models,for the simulation of disease.At present,animal models including for diabetes,atherosclerosis,nonalcoholic fatty liver,gallstones,and osteoporosis have been established using tree shrews,and their mechanisms and related factors have been studied.This article outlines the progress of research on tree shrews for insights into human metabolic diseases.