Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in humans closely associated with central obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and diabetes. This disease starts from simple steatosis and can progress through nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocyte carcinoma.
The aged cynomolgus macaque has been a well-studied translational model for human atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and essential hypertension when fed a cholesterol-containing diet made at KBI. Like humans, this model develops dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis in close association with obesity, diabetes and coronary arterial disease. KBI has a large cohort of macaques with spontaneous metabolic disorders and this makes it possible to screen for well-defined models of hyperlipoproteinemia. Furthermore, the hyperlipidemia models produced by different types of high fat diets are also available for studies of the efficacy, PK/PD, biomarkers and possible adverse effects. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and human-based protocols are routinely used at KBI to obtain quantitative information for: · Lumen and vessel wall thickness · Plaque burden and inflammation Abdominal Aorta and Iliac Arteries Abdominal Aorta Iliac Arteries