Abstract
Massive and persistent obesity was induced in mice by a single intracerebral injection with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (NQO). It was characterized by determining the effect of strains of mice or vehicles of NQO on the development of obesity, and by comparing the body composition, organ weight, and glucose tolerance between NQO-obese and control mice. Treatment with NQO resulted in a higher incidence of obesity in C57BL/6 mice than in ddOM, C3Hf and DBA/2 mice. A much higher obesity-inducing rate was also given by treatment with NQO prepared in 10% lecithin than in 0.5% Tween 80 or 30% dimethyl sulfoxide. The weights of the liver and heart, as well as water, protein and fat contents of the body, were significantly larger in NQO-obese mice than in controls. NQO-obese C57BL/6 mice showed to fall transiently in a state of chemical diabetes 12 weeks after treatment with NQO.
