A metabolic syndrome of hypertension, hyperinsulinaemia and hypercholesterolaemia in the New Zealand obese mouse

Background New Zealand obese (NZO) mice exhibit a polygenic obesity associated with hyperinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia. Here we show that the strain presents additional features of a metabolic syndrome, i.e. elevated blood pressure, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels. Materials and methods A back‐cross model of NZO mice with the lean Swiss Jackson Laboratory (SJL) strain was established in order to investigate further the correlation between hypertension, obesity, serum insulin and hyperglycaemia. Results Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated at 6 weeks of age and appeared to parallel the weight gain of the animals. Serum insulin levels, presumably reflecting insulin resistance, and systolic blood pressure values were significantly correlated with the body mass index (r2 = 0.707 and 0.486, respectively) in the back‐cross mice. In contrast, blood pressure was only weakly correlated with serum insulin (r2 = 0.288) in non‐diabetic mice, and was independent of serum insulin levels in diabetic animals. Conclusion The data are consistent with the concept that hypertension and insulin resistance are a characteristic consequence of the genetic constellation leading to obesity in the NZO strain, and that these traits reflect related mechanisms. It appears unlikely, however, that hypertension is a direct consequence of hyperinsulinaemia.