Research Article

Sex-specific reference intervals for Wistar albino rats: hematology and clinical biochemistry

  • Views: 124
  • Pages: 58 - 65
Authors:
*Corresponding Author Email:  dr.viki91@gmail.com

Received -  01.05.2021, Accepted -  26.05.2021, Published -  01.06.2021

Citation:  Vigneshwar R, Arivuchelvan A, Mekala P and Imayarasi K, 2021. Sex-specific reference intervals for Wistar albino rats: hematology and clinical biochemistry. Indian J Anim Health, 60(1): 58-65, doi: 10.36062/ijah.60.1.2021.58-65

Abstract

Wistar albino rats are the most commonly used laboratory rats for pharmacological, toxicological and physiological experimental studies. Standardization of reference intervals for clinically important hematological and biochemical parameters would help the researchers to compare their study results using Wistar rats as an experimental animal for evaluating health status and organ functions. In this study, we investigated hematology and common clinical biochemistry values in adult male and female Wistar rats (n=36). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for a complete blood count. Serum samples were analyzed for glucose, total protein, lipid profile, electrolytes, liver function tests, and kidney function tests. Mean values of different parameters among males and females were compared by paired t-test for statistical significance. This study demonstrates significant differences between genders for many parameters such as mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC; 35.43 g/dL in male and 38 g/dL in female), percentage of monocytes (7.63% in male and 6.54% in female), lipid profile (high levels of triglycerides, LDL and VLDL cholesterols in male), levels of serum sodium (136.81 meq/L in male and 145.62 meq/L in female) and liver enzymes. These reference values may help to verify results using Wistar rats as a model.


Reference

Boehm O, Zur B, Koch A, Tran N, Freyenhagen R et al., 2007. Clinical chemistry reference database for Wistar rats and C57/BL6 mice. Biol Chem, 388(5): 547-554, doi: 10.1515/BC.2007.061

Car BD, Eng VM, Everds NE and Bounous DI, 2006. Clinical pathology of the rat. In: The Laboratory Rat, 2nd edn. (Suckow MA, Weisbroth SH and Franklin CL, edn.). Elsevier, London (UK), pp 127-145

Clemo FAS, 1997. Response to utility of clinical pathology reference ranges in pre clinical safety studies. Toxicol Pathol, 25 (6): 650

De Marinis E, Martini C, Trentalance A and Pallottini V, 2008. Sex differences in hepatic regulation of cholesterol homeostasis. J Endocrinol, 198(3): 635-643, doi: 10.1677/JOE-08-0242

Delwatta SL, Gunatilake M, Baumans V, Seneviratne MD, Dissanyaka MLB et al., 2018. Reference values for selected hematological, biochemical and physiological parameters of Sprague Dawley rats at the Animal House, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Animal Model Exp Med, 1(4): 250-254, doi: 10.1002/ame2.12041

Friedewald WT, Levy RI and Fredrickson DS, 1972. Estimation of concentration of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma without use of preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem, 18(6): 499-502

Friesen JA and Rodwell VW, 2004. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductases. Genome Biol, 5(11): 248, doi: 10.1186/gb-2004-5-11-248

Giknis MLA and Charles BC, 2006. Clinical laboratory parameters for Crl: CD (SD). Charles River Laboaratories, UK, pp 1-14

Giknis MLA and Charles BC, 2008. Clinical laboratory parameters for Crl: WI (Han). Charles River Laboaratories, UK, pp 1-14

He Q, Su G, Liu K, Zhang F, Jiang Y et al., 2017. Sex-specific reference intervals of hematologic and biochemical analytes in Sprague-Dawley rats using the nonparametric rank percentile method. PLoS One, 12(12): e0189837, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189837

Hickman DL, Johnson J, Vemulapalli TH, Crisler JR and Shepherd R, 2017. Commonly Used Animal Models.In: Principles of Animal Research for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. 1st edn. (Suckow M and Stewart K, eds.) Elsevier Academic Press, USA, pp 117-175, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-802151-4.00007-4

Ihedioha JI, Uneke OA and Ihedioha TE, 2013. Reference values for the serum lipid profile of albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) of varied ages and sexes. Comp Clin Path, 22 (1): 93-99, doi: 10.1007/s00580-011-1372-7

Jacob FW, Lima CC, Paunksnis MRR, Silva AA, Perilhao MS et al., 2017. Reference database of hematological parameters of growing and aging rats. Aging  Male, 21(2): 145-148, doi: 10.1080/13685538.2017.1350156

Kampfmann I, Bauer N, Johannes S and Moritz A, 2012. Differences in hematologic variables in rats of the same strain but different origin. Vet Clin Pathol, 41(2): 228-234, doi: 10.1111/j.1939-165X.2012.00427.x

Katoh M, Ozawa M, Akima T, Ikeda H, Fujii T et al., 1992. Hematological and serum biochemical changes with age in term fetuses, offspring and dams in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. Jikken Dobutsu, 41(3): 329-337, doi: 10.1538/expanim1978.41.3_329

Pennacchia G, Bethune VG, Fleisher M and Schwartz MK, 1971. Automated flame photometry of serum sodium and potassium. Clin Chem, 17(4): 339-340

Sairam S, Domalapalli S, Muthu S, Swaminathan J, Ramesh VA et al., 2014. Hematological and biochemical parameters in apparently healthy Indian population: defining reference intervals. Indian J Clin Biochem, 29(3): 290-297, doi: 10.1007/s12291-013-0365-5

Shah SAV, Ichihara K, Dherai AJ and Ashavaid TF, 2018. Reference intervals for 33 biochemical analytes in healthy Indian population: C-RIDL IFCC initiative. Clin Chem Lab Med, 56(12): 2093-2103, doi: 10.1515/cclm-2018-0152

Teixeira MA, Chaguri LG, Carissmi AS, deSouza NL, Mori CMC et al., 2000. Hematological and biochemical profile of rats (Rattus norvegicus) kept under micro environmental ventilation system. Braz J Vet Res Anim Sci, 37(5): 341-347, doi: 10.1590/S1413-95962000000500001

Vigneshwar R, Arivuchelvan A and Mekala P, 2021. Thyrogenic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) on experimental hypothyroidism in rats. J Pharmacogn Phytochem, 10(1): 454-458

Walter GL, 1997. More perspectives on hysterical controls for clinical pathology. Toxicol Pathol, 25(6): 651, doi: 10.1177/019262339702500620

Wolford ST, Schroer RA, Gallo PP, Gohs FX, Brodeck M et al., 1987. Age-related changes in serum chemistry and hematology values in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. Fundam Appl Toxicol, 8(1): 80-88, doi: 10.1016/0272-0590(87)90102-3