Wild type C57BL/6J male mice were purchased from and kept in the laboratory animal facility of Chongqing Medical University. Mice were housed in a specific-pathogen free facility with a 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycle and were allowed unlimited access to sterilized chow and water. All animal care and experimental procedures were reviewed and approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee at Chongqing Medical University and all methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations.
The mice body weight were monitored weekly and whole body fat mass were assessed right before the final end point (experimental week 28) using the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance technique (Echo, MRI 3-in-1, Echo Medical Systems, Houston, TX). Blood leukocyte count was analyzed using the automated cytometry analyzer XE5000 (Sysmex Corporation, Shanghai, China). Serum total cholesterol levels were analyzed using a biochemical autoanalyzer (Roche, Miras, Switzerland).
The mice body weight were monitored weekly and whole body fat mass were assessed right before the final end point (experimental week 28) using the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance technique (Echo, MRI 3-in-1, Echo Medical Systems, Houston, TX). Blood leukocyte count was analyzed using the automated cytometry analyzer XE5000 (Sysmex Corporation, Shanghai, China). Serum total cholesterol levels were analyzed using a biochemical autoanalyzer (Roche, Miras, Switzerland).