World Journal of Agricultural Research, 2014, Vol. 2, No. 5, 247-251
Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/wjar/2/5/8
© Science and Education Publishing
DOI:10.12691/wjar-2-5-8
The Development of Diets to Induce Atherogenic Lipid
Profiles for Cynomolgus Monkeys in Their Country of
Origin
Dewi Apri Astuti
1,2,*
, Dondin Sajuthi
1
, Irma Herawati Suparto
1
, Jay Kaplan
3
, Sue Appt
3
, Thomas B. Clarkson
3
1
Primate Research Center, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
2
Department of Animal Nutrition Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
3
Centre for Comparative Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC. USA
*Corresponding author: dewiapriastitu86@gmail.com
Received July 24, 2014; Revised October 05, 2014; Accepted October 10, 2014
Abstract Understanding the process of atherosclerosis progress can be studied in laboratory animals, such as
nonhuman primate (NHP). Investigators at Bogor Agricultural University Indonesia, Primate Research Center (IPB)
reported to develop an atherogenic diet (IPB 1) by using fresh egg yolk and coconut oil as source of cholesterol and
fat. The aims of the research were to correct nutritional inadequacy in the initial IPB 1 atherogenic diet by
supplementation with corn oil (IPB 1+CO); to use dry powdered egg yolk (PEY) instead of fresh egg yolk (IPB
1+CO+PEY); to use concentrated source of protein (43%) pupae meal (PM) instead of soya meal (IPB 1+CO+PM) ;
and to use crystalline cholesterol (CC) instead of egg yolk (IPB 1+CO+CC). Twenty four Macaca fascicularis were
used as animal model for three months adaptation followed by 12 months for four diet treatments. Parameters
measured such body weight, waist circumference, trunk length, adiposity index, nutrient utilization, and plasma lipid
profile every three months. This experiment used Completely Randomized Design with four treatments and six
replications. Result showed that there were no significant differences found in morphometric parameters among the
diet groups compared to one another or change from baseline. The nutrient (protein, fat and carbohydrate)
consumption and the absorption were essentially the same for all four diet groups. The IPB 1+CO diet, the IPB
1+CO+PM diet and the IPB 1+CO+CC induced a similar atherogenic plasma lipid profile, with marked increases in
total plasma cholesterol concentrations.
Keywords: atherogenic diet, crystalline cholesterol, powder egg yolk, pupa meal
Cite This Article: Dewi Apri Astuti, Dondin Sajuthi, Irma Herawati Suparto, Jay Kaplan, Sue Appt, and
Thomas B. Clarkson, “The Development of Diets to Induce Atherogenic Lipid Profiles for Cynomolgus Monkeys
in Their Country of Origin.” World Journal of Agricultural Research, vol. 2, no. 5 (2014): 247-251. doi:
10.12691/wjar-2-5-8.
1. Introduction
Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) have
become the most comprehensively characterized
nonhuman primate model of human atherosclerosis (cite
or monkey chapter). They have been the model of choice
for a wide variety of studies involving the effect of
nutrition, social behavior, reproductive status, depression,
obesity, hypertension and a number of other presumed risk
factors for coronary artery atherosclerosis. Additionally,
the cynomolgus monkey model has been used extensively
to evaluate the effects of drugs, hormones and lifestyle
issues such as exercise and social isolation on the
progression and regression of atherosclerosis. It was
reported that non human primates are phylogenetically
closer to humans and have similar lipid metabolism as
humans, meanwhile rodents have less different lipid
metabolism from those humans [3].
Studies of the natural history of human atherosclerosis
in Western societies have provided clear evidence that by
young adulthood (35 years of age) the majority of subjects
have developed fatty streaks and plaques [9].
Consequently, for a nonhuman primate model to be of the
most translational value in the evaluation of interventions
intended for the treatment or prevention of atherosclerosis
of adult human beings, the model should have a
comparable amount of atherosclerosis to that seen in adult
human beings when the intervention to be evaluated is
initiated. To accomplish pre-experimental induction of
atherosclerosis comparable to that of human beings in
Western societies requires about 12 to 16 months of
feeding a diet that induces a significantly atherogenic lipid
profile. That long delay in starting an intervention is a
major handicap for investigators working in a research
intensive environment. A potential solution to this long
delay is the development of atherogenic diets prepared
from ingredients available in the monkey’s country of
origin allowing monkeys to be fed the diet for an extended
time at the supplier’s facility before exporting them to the