Steatohepatitis-liver cancer model animal

Abstract

Fatty liver was induced by administering agents for inducing organ inflammation to experimental animals to evoke insulin resistance and by rearing them with high-fat diets. As a result, steatohepatitis was successfully induced in the animals. The animals show pathological findings similar to those of humans. By using these model animals, substances for treating or preventing diseases can be efficiently screened and the efficacy of medicinal substances can be effectively evaluated.

1 . A non-human animal model for steatohepatitis produced by administering an agent for inducing organ inflammation. 
     
     
         2 . The non-human animal of  claim 1 , wherein the steatohepatitis is a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. 
     
     
         3 . A non-human animal model for diabetic disorder produced by administering an agent for inducing organ inflammation. 
     
     
         4 . The non-human animal of  claim 1 , wherein the agent for inducing organ inflammation is an N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase inhibitor. 
     
     
         5 . The non-human animal of  claim 1 , which comprises the step of inducing fatty liver by administering an agent for inducing organ inflammation to the animal and rearing the animal with a high-fat diet. 
     
     
         6 . The non-human animal of  claim 1 , wherein the non-human animal is a mouse. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a non-human animal model of steatohepatitis, which comprises the step of inducing inflammation in an organ of the non-human animal. 
     
     
         8 . A method of screening for a substance for treating or preventing steatohepatitis, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test substance to the non-human animal model of steatohepatitis of  claim 1 ; and   (b) evaluating an ameliorating effect on steatohepatitis.   
     
     
         9 . A method of evaluating a medicinal substance for efficacy against steatohepatitis amelioration, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test medicinal substance to the non-human animal model of steatohepatitis of  claim 1 ; and   (b) evaluating an ameliorating effect on steatohepatitis.   
     
     
         10 . A method of screening for a substance for treating or preventing a diabetic disorder, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test substance to the non-human animal model for a diabetic disorder of  claim 3 ; and   (b) evaluating an ameliorative effect on diabetic disorder.   
     
     
         11 . A method of evaluating the side effects risks of a pharmaceutical agent for treating or preventing a diabetic disorder, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test pharmaceutical agent to the non-human animal model for a diabetic disorder of  claim 3 ; and   (b) evaluating the pharmaceutical agent for treating or preventing diabetic disorder for side effects.   
     
     
         12 . A non-human animal model for liver cancer, which is produced by further rearing the non-human animal of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The non-human animal of  claim 12 , which is structurally characterized by the following pathological morphology:
 (a) massive type cord-like liver cell carcinoma;   (b) infiltration of inflammatory cells; or   (c) liver cancer caused by cirrhosis developed such that it displaces normal liver cells.   
     
     
         14 . A method of screening for a substance for treating or preventing liver cancer, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test substance to the non-human animal model for liver cancer of  claim 12 ; and   (b) evaluating a therapeutic effect on liver cancer.   
     
     
         15 . A method of evaluating a medicinal substance for efficacy against liver cancer treatment, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test medicinal substance to the non-human animal model of liver cancer of  claim 12 ; and   (b) evaluating a therapeutic effect on liver cancer.   
     
     
         16 . The non-human animal of  claim 3 , wherein the agent for inducing organ inflammation is an N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase inhibitor. 
     
     
         17 . The non-human animal of  claim 3 , which comprises the step of inducing fatty liver by administering an agent for inducing organ inflammation to the animal and rearing the animal with a high-fat diet. 
     
     
         18 . The non-human animal of  claim 3 , wherein the non-human animal is a mouse. 
     
     
         19 . A non-human animal model for liver cancer, which is produced by further rearing the non-human animal of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         20 . The non-human animal of  claim 19 , which is structurally characterized by the following pathological morphology;
 (a) massive type cord-like liver cell carcinoma;   (b) infiltration of inflammatory cells; or   (c) liver cancer caused by cirrhosis developed such that it displaces normal liver cells.   
     
     
         21 . A method of screening for a substance for treating or preventing liver cancer, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test substance to the non-human animal model for liver cancer of  claim 19 ; and   (b) evaluating a therapeutic effect on liver cancer.   
     
     
         22 . A method of evaluating a medicinal substance for efficacy against liver cancer treatment, which comprises the steps of:
 (a) administering a test medicinal substance to the non-human model of liver cancer of  claim 19 ; and   (b) evaluating a therapeutic effect on liver cancer.