Prolonged high-fat-diet feeding promotes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alters gut microbiota in mice

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become an epidemic largely due to the worldwide increase in obesity. While lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapies have been used to alleviate NAFLD, successful treatment options are limited. One of the main barriers to finding safe and effective drugs for long-term use in NAFLD is the fast initiation and progression of disease in the available preclinical models. Therefore, we are in need of preclinical models that (1) mimic the human manifestation of NAFLD and (2) have a longer progression time to allow for the design of superior treatments. AIM: To characterize a model of prolonged high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for investigation of the long-term progression of NAFLD. METHODS: = 20) for a shorter duration (6 wk) to distinguish between age-dependent and age-independent effects. Liver, colon, adipose tissue, and feces were collected for histological and molecular assessments. RESULTS: in HFD mice. CONCLUSION: Overall, these data suggest that chronic HFD consumption in mice can mimic pathophysiological and some microbial events observed in NAFLD patients.