Cross-sectional association between blood cholesterol and calcium levels in genetically diverse strains of mice.
Cody M CousineauKaelin LoftusGary A ChurchillDave E BridgesPublished in: FEBS open bio (2023)
Genetically diverse outbred mice allow for the study of genetic variation in the context of high dietary and environmental control. Using a machine learning approach, we investigated clinical and morphometric factors that associate with serum cholesterol levels in 840 genetically unique Diversity Outbred mice of both sexes (n=417 male and 423 female), and on both a control chow (% kcals in diet: protein 22%, carbohydrate 62%, fat 16%, no cholesterol) and high fat high sucrose (% kcals in diet: protein 15%, carbohydrate 41%, fat 45%, 0.05% cholesterol). We find expected elevations of cholesterol in male mice, as well as in mice with elevated serum triglycerides and/or fed a high fat high sucrose diet. The third strongest predictor was serum calcium which correlated with serum cholesterol across both diets and sexes (r=0.39-0.48) in both Diversity Outbred (p=3.0 x 10 -43 ) and BXD (p=0.005) mice. This is in-line with several human cohort studies which show associations between calcium and cholesterol, and calcium as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.
Keyphrases
- low density lipoprotein
- high fat diet induced
- cardiovascular events
- machine learning
- weight loss
- cross sectional
- physical activity
- coronary artery disease
- adipose tissue
- cardiovascular disease
- escherichia coli
- endothelial cells
- insulin resistance
- skeletal muscle
- high resolution
- deep learning
- amino acid
- artificial intelligence
- single molecule
- human health
- high speed
- atomic force microscopy