High Fat Diet Induces Liver Steatosis and Early Dysregulation of Iron Metabolism in Rats

This paper is dedicated to the memory of our wonderful colleague Professor Alfredo Colonna, who passed away the same day of its acceptance. Fatty liver accumulation, inflammatory process and insulin resistance appear to be crucial in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nevertheless emerging findings pointed an important role also for iron overload. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms of hepatic iron metabolism in the onset of steatosis to understand whether its impairment could be an early event of liver inflammatory injury. Rats were fed with control diet or high fat diet (HFD) for 5 or 8 weeks, after which liver morphology, serum lipid profile, transaminases levels and hepatic iron content (HIC), were evaluated. In liver of HFD fed animals an increased time-dependent activity of iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) was evidenced, associated with the increase in transferrin receptor-1 (TfR1) expression and ferritin down-regulation. Moreover, ferroportin (FPN-1), the main protein involved in iron export, was down-regulated accordingly with hepcidin increase. These findings were indicative of an increased iron content into hepatocytes, which leads to an increase of harmful free-iron also related to the reduction of hepatic ferritin content. The progressive inflammatory damage was evidenced by the increase of hepatic TNF-α, IL-6 and leptin, in parallel to increased iron content and oxidative stress. The major finding that emerged of this study is the impairment of iron homeostasis in the ongoing and sustaining of liver steatosis, suggesting a strong link between iron metabolism unbalance, inflammatory damage and progression of disease.     

高糖高脂致家兔糖尿病的实验模型探讨

目的　建立饮食诱导新西兰兔糖尿病模型 ,探讨脂肪毒性和葡萄糖毒性在 2型糖尿病发病中的意义。方法　将雄性新西兰兔 30只按血糖血脂浓度随机分为 2组 ,15只饲以基础饲料作为正常对照组 (C组 ) ;15只饲以高糖高脂饲料作为实验组 (DD组 ) ,共观察 32周 ,每 4周从禁食过夜的兔耳静脉抽取血样 ,测定血清中血糖、胰岛素、甘油三酯。于 32周时 ,全部处死动物 ,取动物胰腺。取部分胰腺用 10 %中性甲醛液固定 ,常规石蜡包埋切片 ,H、E染色 ,光学显微镜下观察 ;另一部分胰腺用 2 5 %戊二醛固定 ,常规电镜样品制备 ,透射电镜下观察并照相。结果　实验组 4周后即出现高血糖、高甘油三酯 ,并随着喂养时间延长 ,而有所升高 ,基础饲料组血糖、甘油三酯未见明显升高 ,两组比较差异具有显著性意义 (P <0 0 1)。以不同喂养时间作方差分析 ,整体上差异具有显著性意义。实验组血清胰岛素水平整体上差异没有显著性意义 (P >0 0 5 )。实验组胰腺组织表现为胰岛萎缩 ,胰岛边缘皱缩 ,胰岛数目减少 ,胰岛内细胞数量亦减少 ,多数细胞呈梭形 ,细胞核呈杆状 ,胰岛周围少量淋巴细胞浸润。透射电镜下观察到实验组胰岛 β细胞体积略小 ,核较小 ,部分分泌颗粒呈空泡状 ,细胞内可见局部结构较模糊 ,粗面内质网少 ,未见明显淀粉样变     

应用氧化酶法对高糖高脂动物模型肝糖原含量的测定

目的建立氧化酶法检测肝糖原的方法。方法采用碱中和与缓冲液相配合调节水解液pH至中性,然后用氧化酶法检测肝糖原含量。结果用10μL6mol/LNaOH加入等量肝糖原水解液后,再加入4mLpH7.2磷酸盐缓冲液,可使糖原水解液pH值调为7.2,用于氧化酶法测定糖含量。结论该法操作简便易行,结果稳定、重复性好。     

Effects of Incretin-Based Therapies on Neuro-Cardiovascular Dynamic Changes Induced by High Fat Diet in Rats

Background and Aims

Obesity promotes cardiac and cerebral microcirculatory dysfunction that could be improved by incretin-based therapies. However, the effects of this class of compounds on neuro-cardiovascular system damage induced by high fat diet remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of incretin-based therapies on neuro-cardiovascular dysfunction induced by high fat diet in Wistar rats.

Methods and Results

We have evaluated fasting glucose levels and insulin resistance, heart rate variability quantified on time and frequency domains, cerebral microcirculation by intravital microscopy, mean arterial blood pressure, ventricular function and mitochondrial swelling. High fat diet worsened biometric and metabolic parameters and promoted deleterious effects on autonomic, myocardial and haemodynamic parameters, decreased capillary diameters and increased functional capillary density in the brain. Biometric and metabolic parameters were better improved by glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) compared with dipeptdyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor. On the other hand, both GLP-1 agonist and DPP-4 inhibitor reversed the deleterious effects of high fat diet on autonomic, myocardial, haemodynamic and cerebral microvascular parameters. GLP-1 agonist and DPP-4 inhibitor therapy also increased mitochondrial permeability transition pore resistance in brain and heart tissues of rats subjected to high fat diet.

Conclusion

Incretin-based therapies improve deleterious cardiovascular effects induced by high fat diet and may have important contributions on the interplay between neuro-cardiovascular dynamic controls through mitochondrial dysfunction associated to metabolic disorders.     

桂皮醛对高脂喂养小鼠糖脂代谢影响的实验研究

目的：探讨口服桂皮醛对高脂喂养小鼠（C57BL/6J 背景）糖脂代谢的影响。方法：采用雄性C57BL/6J小鼠作为研究对象,分 正常对照组（6 只）,高脂组（6 只）,高脂+ 桂皮醛（40 mg/kg,每天1 次）干预组（6 只）。桂皮醛以0.5 %羧甲基纤维素钠（CMC-Na） 溶解后口服灌胃,每天1 次;正常对照组和高脂组给予灌服等体积的CMC-Na,每天1 次,干预时间为3 月。每周观察体重、空腹血 糖,实验结束后观察胰岛素耐量（IPITT）、葡萄糖耐量（IPGTT）,观察各组小鼠的血脂水平（TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C）、胰岛素水 平、肠系膜脂肪重量及以HE 染色观察脂肪细胞形态。结果：在脂代谢方面,桂皮醛干预可显著防止高脂喂养小鼠的体重和血脂水 平的升高;高脂喂养小鼠肠系膜脂肪重量显著增加,HE 染色提示脂肪细胞显著增大;桂皮醛可显著防止肠系膜脂肪重量的增加 及脂肪细胞的变大。而在葡萄糖代谢方面,桂皮醛可显著降低高脂喂养小鼠血糖和胰岛素水平,改善小鼠的葡萄糖耐量和胰岛素 敏感性。结论：口服桂皮醛可显著改善高脂喂养小鼠的糖、脂代谢。     

胆汁酸G-蛋白偶联受体激动剂齐墩果酸对高脂饮食小鼠体内糖脂代谢的影响

目的观察胆汁酸G-蛋白偶联受体（Gprotein—coupled receptor for bile acids,TGR5）激动剂齐墩果酸（oleanolic acid,OA）对肥胖小鼠体重及糖、脂代谢的影响,探讨齐墩果酸减轻肥胖小鼠体重的机制。方法建立高脂饮食诱导的肥胖小鼠动物模型,并喂食OA进行干预。动态测定体重及第17周后内脏脂肪、肝脏重量,并进行葡萄糖耐量实验（glucose tolerence test,GTT）;肝脏组织石蜡切片HE染色,光镜观察病理变化;Realtime PCR检测肝脏组织糖代谢相关基因的表达及白色脂肪组织脂肪合成酶（fatty acid synthase,FAS）的表达。结果OA减轻肥胖小鼠的体重、内脏脂肪及肝脏的重量;改善肝脏脂质沉积;增强胰岛素敏感性。OA抑制肝脏内葡萄糖-6-磷酸酶（glucose-6-phosphatase,G6Pc）的表达,并下调肥胖小鼠脂肪组织FAS的mRNA水平的表达。结论TGR5激动剂OA能减少高脂诱导的肥胖小鼠的脂肪堆积,其机制可能与OA能改善肥胖小鼠胰岛素抵抗,减少脂质合成有关。     

High-Fat Diet Reduces the Formation of Butyrate,but Increases Succinate,Inflammation, Liver Fat and Cholesterol in Rats,while Dietary Fibre Counteracts These Effects

Introduction

Obesity is linked to type 2 diabetes and risk factors associated to the metabolic syndrome. Consumption of dietary fibres has been shown to have positive metabolic health effects, such as by increasing satiety, lowering blood glucose and cholesterol levels. These effects may be associated with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly propionic and butyric acids, formed by microbial degradation of dietary fibres in colon, and by their capacity to reduce low-grade inflammation.

Objective

To investigate whether dietary fibres, giving rise to different SCFAs, would affect metabolic risk markers in low-fat and high-fat diets using a model with conventional rats for 2, 4 and 6 weeks.

Material and Methods

Conventional rats were administered low-fat or high-fat diets, for 2, 4 or 6 weeks, supplemented with fermentable dietary fibres, giving rise to different SCFA patterns (pectin – acetic acid; guar gum – propionic acid; or a mixture – butyric acid). At the end of each experimental period, liver fat, cholesterol and triglycerides, serum and caecal SCFAs, plasma cholesterol, and inflammatory cytokines were analysed. The caecal microbiota was analysed after 6 weeks.

Results and Discussion

Fermentable dietary fibre decreased weight gain, liver fat, cholesterol and triglyceride content, and changed the formation of SCFAs. The high-fat diet primarily reduced formation of SCFAs but, after a longer experimental period, the formation of propionic and acetic acids recovered. The concentration of succinic acid in the rats increased in high-fat diets with time, indicating harmful effect of high-fat consumption. The dietary fibre partly counteracted these harmful effects and reduced inflammation. Furthermore, the number of Bacteroides was higher with guar gum, while noticeably that of Akkermansia was highest with the fibre-free diet.     

Molecular Fingerprint of High Fat Diet Induced Urinary Bladder Metabolic Dysfunction in a Rat Model

Aims/hypothesis

Diabetic voiding dysfunction has been reported in epidemiological dimension of individuals with diabetes mellitus. Animal models might provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of this dysfunction to facilitate early diagnosis and to identify new drug targets for therapeutic interventions.

Methods

Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats received either chow or high-fat diet for eleven weeks. Proteomic alterations were comparatively monitored in both groups to discover a molecular fingerprinting of the urinary bladder remodelling/dysfunction. Results were validated by ELISA, Western blotting and immunohistology.

Results

In the proteome analysis 383 proteins were identified and canonical pathway analysis revealed a significant up-regulation of acute phase reaction, hypoxia, glycolysis, β-oxidation, and proteins related to mitochondrial dysfunction in high-fat diet rats. In contrast, calcium signalling, cytoskeletal proteins, calpain, 14-3-3η and eNOS signalling were down-regulated in this group. Interestingly, we found increased ubiquitin proteasome activity in the high-fat diet group that might explain the significant down-regulation of eNOS, 14-3-3η and calpain.

Conclusions/interpretation

Thus, high-fat diet is sufficient to induce significant remodelling of the urinary bladder and alterations of the molecular fingerprint. Our findings give new insights into obesity related bladder dysfunction and identified proteins that may indicate novel pathophysiological mechanisms and therefore constitute new drug targets.     

PPARα信号通路激活抵抗高脂和Leptin缺失诱导的肥胖和脂肪肝

脂肪酰基辅酶A氧化酶1(acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1,Acox1)缺失可通过内源性配体激活过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体α(peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α,PPARα)及其调控的信号通路,从而减轻肥胖基因leptin突变型(ob/ob)小鼠的肥胖和脂肪肝症状,但提高了其肝癌发生率.为进一步研究PPARα信号通路在高脂日粮和leptin缺失诱导的脂肪肝形成过程中的作用,本研究以野生型、Acox1-/-、ob/ob和Acox1Δob/ob小鼠为模型,用正常日粮或60%高脂日粮饲喂10个月.结果显示,正常日粮或高脂日粮饲喂情况下,Acox1-/-和Acox1Δob/ob小鼠的体重、白色脂肪细胞体积、棕色脂肪组织含量及肝脏脂肪含量均分别显著低于WT和ob/ob小鼠.溴化脱氧尿嘧啶核苷(Brdurd)及烯酰辅酶A水合酶(L-PBE)免疫组化染色结果显示Acox1-/-和Acox1Δob/ob小鼠肝脏内肝细胞增殖及L-PBE活性、肝脏重量及其占体重的百分比均显著高于WT和ob/ob小鼠.正常日粮饲喂的WT、Acox1-/-、ob/ob和Acox1Δob/ob小鼠肝癌发生率分别为0%、100%、0%和4%,高脂日粮饲喂后,其肝癌发生率分别为0%、100%、2.9%和100%.Q-PCR结果显示Acox1-/-和Acox1Δob/ob小鼠肝脏内L-PBE、Cyp4a3、Akr1b10、ap2等基因的表达水平显著高于WT和ob/ob小鼠.综上所述,PPARα信号通路激活可以抵抗高脂日粮和leptin缺失诱导的肥胖和脂肪肝,但脂质过氧化反应可能通过Nrf2-Akr1b10信号通路促进了肝癌发生.     

抗阻运动对高脂饮食诱导的肥胖大鼠脂肪组织自噬和炎症因子的影响

为探讨运动对肥胖患者自噬活性和内脏脂肪组织炎症反应的影响,本研究将60只肥胖小鼠随机分为高脂饮食组(B)、正常饮食组(C)、正常饮食加耐力运动干预组(D)、正常饮食加耐力运动干预组(E)。D组和E组分别进行10周的耐力和抗阻运动,然后用RT-PCR检测自噬、炎症的基因和蛋白表达。结果显示,三个干预组的Lee指数和BFI均显著降低,2个运动组的Lee指数和BFI均显著降低,但差异无显著性;D组和E组Beclin 1表达较C组显著降低,p62表达明显升高;与C组相比,D组p62显著升高,E组无明显升高;与D组相比,E组Beclin 1基因表达增加,p62蛋白表达降低;与C组相比,D组和E组IL-6和IL-0蛋白表达均显著升高;10周不同运动干预对大鼠减脂效果无差异。运动后内脏脂肪组织的自噬活性受到抑制,尤其是无氧运动;肥胖患者运动干预前后内脏脂肪组织自噬和炎症的变化趋势一致,其中IL-10的变化最为明显。     

Myocardial Structural and Biological Anomalies Induced by High Fat Diet in Psammomys obesus Gerbils

Background

Psammomys obesus gerbils are particularly prone to develop diabetes and obesity after brief period of abundant food intake. A hypercaloric high fat diet has been shown to affect cardiac function. Here, we sought to determine whether a short period of high fat feeding might alter myocardial structure and expression of calcium handling proteins in this particular strain of gerbils.

Methods

Twenty Psammomys obesus gerbils were randomly assigned to receive a normal plant diet (controls) or a high fat diet. At baseline and 16-week later, body weight, plasma biochemical parameters (including lipid and carbohydrate levels) were evaluated. Myocardial samples were collected for pathobiological evaluation.

Results

Sixteen-week high fat dieting resulted in body weight gain and hyperlipidemia, while levels of carbohydrates remained unchanged. At myocardial level, high fat diet induced structural disorganization, including cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, lipid accumulation, interstitial and perivascular fibrosis and increased number of infiltrating neutrophils. Myocardial expressions of pro-apoptotic Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio, pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α], intercellular (ICAM1) and vascular adhesion molecules (VCAM1) increased, while gene encoding cardiac muscle protein, the alpha myosin heavy polypeptide (MYH6), was downregulated. Myocardial expressions of sarco(endo)plasmic calcium-ATPase (SERCA2) and voltage-dependent calcium channel (Cacna1c) decreased, while protein kinase A (PKA) and calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK2D) expressions increased. Myocardial expressions of ryanodine receptor, phospholamban and sodium/calcium exchanger (Slc8a1) did not change.

Conclusions

We conclude that a relative short period of high fat diet in Psammomys obesus results in severe alterations of cardiac structure, activation of inflammatory and apoptotic processes, and altered expression of calcium-cycling determinants.     

高脂饮食诱导情绪障碍及药物干预研究进展

近年来代谢性疾病和抑郁症的发病率逐渐上升,临床研究表明代谢紊乱疾病与抑郁症之间存在共病现象。富含高糖高脂的西方饮食通常可造成肥胖、糖尿病、代谢综合征等代谢紊乱性疾病,近期研究发现高脂饮食是情绪障碍发病的危险因素,然而具体高脂饮食对情绪紊乱的影响机制尚未明确,其可能机制包括胰岛素抵抗、瘦素抵抗、炎症、氧化应激、神经凋亡、大脑奖赏回路系统等。本文对近年来报道的高脂饮食诱发情绪障碍可能机制及药物研究进行阐述。     

Short Term Feeding of a High Fat Diet Exerts an Additive Effect on Hepatocellular Damage and Steatosis in Liver-Specific PTEN Knockout Mice

Background

Hepatospecific deletion of PTEN results in constitutive activation of Akt and increased lipogenesis. In mice, the addition of a high fat diet (HFD) downregulates lipogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a HFD on hepatocellular damage induced by deletion of PTEN.

Methods

12 Week old male flox/flox hepatospecific PTEN mice (PTEN^f/f) or Alb-Cre controls were fed a HFD composed of 45% fat-derived calories (from corn oil) or a normal chow. Animals were then analyzed for hepatocellular damage, oxidative stress and expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism.

Results

In the Alb-Cre animals, the addition of a HFD resulted in a significant increase in liver triglycerides and altered REDOX capacity as evidenced by increased GPX activity, decreased GST activity and decreased hepatic concentrations of GSSG. In addition, SCD2, ACLY and FASN were all downregulated by the addition of HFD. Furthermore, expression of PPARα and PPARα-dependent proteins Cyp4a and ACSL1 were upregulated. In the PTEN^f/f mice, HFD resulted in significant increased in ALT, serum triglycerides and decreased REDOX capacity. Although expression of fatty acid synthetic enzymes was elevated in the chow fed PTEN^f/f group, the addition of HFD resulted in SCD2, ACLY and FASN downregulation. Compared to the Alb-Cre HFD group, expression of PGC1α, PPARα and its downstream targets ACSL and Cyp4a were upregulated in PTEN^f/f mice.

Conclusions

These data suggest that during conditions of constitutive Akt activation and increased steatosis, the addition of a HFD enhances hepatocellular damage due to increased CD36 expression and altered REDOX status. In addition, this work indicates HFD-induced hepatocellular damage occurs in part, independently of Akt signaling.     

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) Protects against High Fat Diet Induced Inflammation and Islet Hyperplasia in Pancreas

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an important endocrine metabolic regulator expressed in multiple tissues including liver and adipose tissue. Although highest levels of expression are in pancreas, little is known about the function of FGF21 in this tissue. In order to understand the physiology of FGF21 in the pancreas, we analyzed its expression and regulation in both acinar and islet tissues. We found that acinar tissue express 20-fold higher levels than that observed in islets. We also observed that pancreatic FGF21 is nutritionally regulated; a marked reduction in FGF21 expression was noted with fasting while obesity is associated with 3–4 fold higher expression. Acinar and islet cells are targets of FGF21, which when systemically administered, leads to phosphorylation of the downstream target ERK 1/2 in about half of acinar cells and a small subset of islet cells. Chronic, systemic FGF21 infusion down-regulates its own expression in the pancreas. Mice lacking FGF21 develop significant islet hyperplasia and periductal lymphocytic inflammation when fed with a high fat obesogenic diet. Inflammatory infiltrates consist of TCRb+ Thy1+ T lymphocytes with increased levels of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Increased levels of inflammatory cells were coupled with elevated expression of cytokines such as TNFα, IFNγ and IL1β. We conclude that FGF21 acts to limit islet hyperplasia and may also prevent pancreatic inflammation.     

The Effect of Continued Training with Crocin on Apoptosis Markers in Liver Tissue of High Fat Diet Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus (DM) disease can affect process of apoptosis byincreasing oxidative stress, nevertheless exercise and crocin can improve apoptosis; therefore present study aimed to investigate the effect of continued trainingwith crocin on apoptosis markers in liver tissue of diabetic rats. In this experimental study 32 diabetic rats based on fasting glucose divided into four groups ofeight rats including: 1) sham, 2) training, 3) crocin, and 4) training with crocinalso for investigate the effect of DM induction on apoptosis markers, eight healthyrats assigned in healthy control group. During eight weeks groups 2 and 4 ran60 minutes on treadmill with intensity of 50–55% maximum speed for three sessions per week and groups 3 and 4 received 25 mg/kg/day crocin peritoneally.Shapiro–Wilk, one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hot tests were used for statistical analysis of data (P ≤ 0.05). DM induction significantly increased Bcl-2 aswell as decreased Bax and P52 (P ≤ 0.05) nevertheless training and training withcrocin significantly decreased Bcl-2 and increased Bax and P53 (P ≤ 0.05); crocinsignificantly decreased Bcl-2 and increased P53 (P ≤ 0.05) and training with crocin had higher effect on increase of Bax and P53 compare to training (P ≤ 0.05)also increase of Bax compare to crocin. Although training and crocin alone canimprove apoptotic markers in diabetic rats, nevertheless training simultaneouslywith crocin have better effects than training alone.     

MR Quantification of Total Liver Fat in Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Healthy Subjects

Objective

To explore the correlations between liver fat content and clinical index in patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods

56 subjects were enrolled and each of them underwent upper-abdominal MRI examination that involved a T1 VIBE Dixon sequence. 14 was clinically diagnosed with IGT (collectively as IGT group ) while 42 showed normal glucose tolerance,(collectively as NGT group). NGT group was further divided into NGTFat (BMI≥25, 18 subjects) and NGTLean (BMI<25, 24 subjects). The total liver fat contents was measured and compared with clinical findings and laboratory results in order to determine statistical correlations between these parameters. Differences among IGT, NGTFat and NGTLean groups were evaluated.

Results

For all the subjects, fat volume fractions (FVFs) ranged from 4.2% to 24.2%, positive correlations was observed with BMI, waist hip ratio(WHR), low density lipoprotein(LDL), fasting plasma insulin(FPI), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment β(HOMAβ). FVFs of IGT group (p = 0.004) and NGTFat group (p = 0.006) were significantly higher than those of NGTLean group.

Conclusions

People with higher BMI, WHR and LDL levels tend to have higher liver fat content. Patients with BMI≥25 are more likely to develop IGT. Patients with higher FVF showed higher resistance to insulin, thus obtained a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

MicroRNA-155 Deficiency Attenuates Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis without Reducing Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Steatohepatitis

Background & Aim

MicroRNAs (miRs) regulate hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. Fibrosis is the consequence of chronic tissue damage and inflammation. We hypothesized that deficiency of miR-155, a master regulator of inflammation, attenuates steatohepatitis and fibrosis.

Methods

Wild type (WT) and miR-155-deficient (KO) mice were fed methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) or -supplemented (MCS) control diet for 5 weeks. Liver injury, inflammation, steatosis and fibrosis were assessed.

Results

MCD diet resulted in steatohepatitis and increased miR-155 expression in total liver, hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. Steatosis and expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism were attenuated in miR-155 KO mice after MCD feeding. In contrast, miR-155 deficiency failed to attenuate inflammatory cell infiltration, nuclear factor κ beta (NF-κB) activation and enhanced the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1) in MCD diet-fed mice. We found a significant attenuation of apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3) and reduction in collagen and α smooth muscle actin (αSMA) levels in miR-155 KO mice compared to WTs on MCD diet. In addition, we found attenuation of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), a pro-fibrotic cytokine; SMAD family member 3 (Smad3), a protein involved in transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signal transduction and vimentin, a mesenchymal marker and indirect indicator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in miR-155 KO mice. Nuclear binding of CCAAT enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) a miR-155 target involved in EMT was significantly increased in miR-155 KO compared to WT mice.

Conclusions

Our novel data demonstrate that miR-155 deficiency can reduce steatosis and fibrosis without decreasing inflammation in steatohepatitis.