Inhibitory effects of eucalyptus and banaba leaf extracts on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced by a high-fructose/high-glucose diet in rats

Empagliflozin ameliorates liver fibrosis in NASH rat model via targeting hepatic NF-κB/SOX9/OPN signaling and osteocalcin level

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may be associated with tissue fibrotic changes and can be treated via different therapeutic tools which may however either initiate weak or long-term side effects that minimize its use. Empagliflozin (EMPA) is an oral anti-diabetic drug which has characteristic effects during hepatic steatosis regarding lipid accumulation and insulin resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate an additional mechanism through which EMPA can exert and potentiate its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in NASH rat model. Male Wistar albino rats fed on high fat diet (HFD) and 20% fructose in drinking water for 18 weeks and received EMPA (30 mg/kg/day, orally) starting from week 11. Body and liver weights, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, liver function tests, other biochemical and histological parameters were determined. HFD joined with fructose intake significantly increased body and liver weights, HOMA-IR value, hepatic inflammatory and fibrotic markers, liver transaminases, hepatic expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), sex determining region Y box 9 (SOX 9), and osteopontin (OPN) with significant decrease in hepatic osteocalcin (OCN). Intense hepatic lesions with severe microsteatosis and deposition of collagen fibers were clearly observed. Effectively, EMPA restored the normal liver functions, downregulated hepatic inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB, SOX 9, OPN, and increased OCN level. These results highlight another pathway illustrated the anti-fibrotic effects of EMPA against liver fibrosis probably through downregulation of NF-κB/SOX 9/OPN signaling along with upregulation of hepatic OCN which may potentiate the valuable anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects of EMPA.

Puppyhood diet as a factor in the development of owner-reported allergy/atopy skin signs in adult dogs in Finland

BACKGROUND

The increased prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) in dogs necessitates research in its disease etiology.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the association between puppyhood dietary exposures and prevalence of owner-reported allergy/atopy skin signs (AASS) after the age of 1 year.

ANIMALS

Four thousand and twenty-two dogs were eligible, 1158 cases, and 2864 controls.

METHODS

This cross-sectional hypothesis-driven observational study was extracted from the DogRisk food frequency questionnaire. Forty-six food items and the ratio of 4 major diet types were tested for their association with AASS incidence later in life. Potential puppyhood dietary risk factors for AASS incidence were specified using binary multivariable logistic regression. The model was adjusted for age and sex.

RESULTS

Eating raw tripe (odds ratio, 95% confidence intervals OR, 95% CI = 0.36, 0.16-0.79; P = .01), raw organ meats (OR, 95% CI = 0.23, 0.08-0.67; P = .007), human meal leftovers, and fish oil supplements as well as eating more that 20% of the diet as raw and/or <80% of the diet as dry, in general, were associated with significantly lower AASS incidence in adulthood. In contrast, dogs fed fruits (OR, 95% CI = 2.01, 1.31-3.07; P = .001), mixed-oil supplements, dried animal parts, and dogs that drank from puddles showed significantly higher AASS incidence in adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Puppyhood exposure to raw animal-based foods might have a protective influence on AASS incidence in adulthood, while puppyhood exposure to mixed oils, heat processed foods and sugary fruits might be a potential risk factor of AASS incidence later. The study suggests a causal relationship but does not prove it.

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Biomarkers in Clinical and Experimental Models of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a term that covers a range of hepatic disorders involving fat deposits in the liver. NAFLD begins with simple steatosis and progresses into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) characterised by inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction and release of adipokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Oxidative stress and antioxidants are known to play a vital role in the pathogenesis and severity of NAFLD/NASH. A number of oxidative stress and antioxidant markers are employed in the assessment of the pathological state and progression of the disease. In this article, we review several biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidants that have been measured at clinical and experimental levels. Also included is a comprehensive description of oxidative stress, sources and contribution to the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH.

High-Glucose or -Fructose Diet Cause Changes of the Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Disorders in Mice without Body Weight Change

High fat diet-induced changes in gut microbiota have been linked to intestinal permeability and metabolic endotoxemia, which is related to metabolic disorders. However, the influence of a high-glucose (HGD) or high-fructose (HFrD) diet on gut microbiota is largely unknown. We performed changes of gut microbiota in HGD- or HFrD-fed C57BL/6J mice by 16S rRNA analysis. Gut microbiota-derived endotoxin-induced metabolic disorders were evaluated by glucose and insulin tolerance test, gut permeability, Western blot and histological analysis. We found that the HGD and HFrD groups had comparatively higher blood glucose and endotoxin levels, fat mass, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance without changes in bodyweight. The HGD- and HFrD-fed mice lost gut microbial diversity, characterized by a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes and a markedly increased proportion of Proteobacteria. Moreover, the HGD and HFrD groups had increased gut permeability due to alterations to the tight junction proteins caused by gut inflammation. Hepatic inflammation and lipid accumulation were also markedly increased in the HGD and HFrD groups. High levels of glucose or fructose in the diet regulate the gut microbiota and increase intestinal permeability, which precedes the development of metabolic endotoxemia, inflammation, and lipid accumulation, ultimately leading to hepatic steatosis and normal-weight obesity.