The pig as an animal model in biomedical research: A review

Abstract

The advances in translational biomedical research, especially in genetic engineering, created new opportunities to trace the courses of human diseases and develop effective therapeutic methods. There remains, however, a growing demand for appropriate animal models for the precise evaluation of the efficacy and safety of new drugs or therapeutic concepts. Thus far, rodent models have been most widely used in translational research; however, since they do not perfectly reflect the human disease phenotype, transgenic pigs are increasingly being utilized as animal models. Thanks to the anatomical and physiological similarities between pigs and humans, swine are considered to be one of the most valuable animal models used in preclinical studies, including nutritional, metabolic and cardiovascular research. The resemblances involve the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, skeletal muscle and immune systems, as wells as body size, body composition and the omnivorous food choice. In addition, pigs are characterized by high fertility and fecundity, as well as the ease of use and low maintenance costs. Importantly, the existing efficient genetic engineering techniques enable relatively easy generation of tailored porcine models of human disease. One should be aware, however, of some physiological differences between humans and pigs to correctly interpret induced toxicological changes. The article provides an overview of current techniques for genetic modification of pigs, as well as the use of swine models in translational research exemplified by xenotransplantation, metabolic and coronary heart disease, and the gastrointestinal motility studies.

Beneficial effects of a plant-fish oil, slow carbohydrate diet on cardio-metabolic health exceed the correcting effects of metformin-pioglitazone in diabetic pigs fed a fast-food diet

“…For reference, non-diabetic pigs were also studied to compare the severity of cardiometabolic effects of a “fast” food type of diet in subjects without and with diabetes. In the present study, pigs were studied until they were 7 months old, an age that is equivalent to human adolescence [ 26 ].…”

“…Pigs, like humans, are omnivores and as such the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract is comparable between pig and man. Therefore the pig is a useful animal model for the study of dietary components and oral drugs [ 24 – 26 ].…”

Conventional Pig as Animal Model for Human Renal Drug Excretion Processes: Unravelling the Porcine Renal Function by Use of a Cocktail of Exogenous Markers

“…To date, there remains a growing demand for appropriate animal models for the precise evaluation of the efficacy and safety of therapeutic drugs (Dziegiel et al, 2018). Dogs and monkeys have been used as the nonrodent species of choice in preclinical pharmaceutical drug research.…”