Steatosis and collagen content in experimental liver cirrhosis are affected by dietary monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
METHODS
We used thioacetamide administered orally to induce cirrhosis in rats, and after these had recovered for 1 and 2 weeks we examined the effects of dietary supplementation with monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, or with a combination of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, on the extent of steatosis and collagen content in the liver.


RESULTS
Nodular cirrhosis, increased collagen content, and lipid accumulation were established after 4 months of treatment with thioacetamide. When the animals were fed a diet rich in oleic acid for 2 weeks, the steatosis and fibrosis decreased. Supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids favored reductions in collagen content but did not reduce the fat accumulation. With a diet supplemented with a mixture of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids we found no reduction in either lipid accumulation or collagen content.


CONCLUSIONS
Fibrosis and steatosis may be influenced by dietary fat, and monounsaturated fat appears to influence favorably the histologic recovery of the damaged liver.
Fernández
M I
MI
Dept. of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Spain.
Torres
M I
MI
Gil
A
A
Ríos
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013853:Thioacetamide
D002273:Carcinogens; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D013853:Thioacetamide; D003094:Collagen