title: High dietary fat exacerbates arsenic-induced liver fibrosis in mice.
abstract: Many factors could potentially affect the process of arsenic-induced liver fibrosis. The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of high fat diet on arsenic-induced liver fibrosis and preneoplastic changes. Mice were given sodium arsenite (As3+, 200 ppm) or sodium arsenate (As5+, 200 ppm) in the drinking water for 10 months, and provided a normal diet or a diet containing 20% added fat. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), indicative of liver injury, was elevated in both arsenite and arsenate groups, and a high fat diet further increased these levels. Histopathology (H&E and Masson stain) showed that liver inflammation, steatosis (fatty liver), hepatocyte degeneration, and fibrosis occurred with arsenic alone, but their severity was markedly increased with the high fat diet. Total liver RNA was isolated for real-time RT-PCR analysis. Arsenic exposure increased the expression of inflammation genes, such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, iNOS, chemokines, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2. The expression of the stress-related gene heme oxygenase-1 was increased, while metallothionein-1 and GSH S-transferase-pi were decreased when arsenic was combined with the high fat diet. Expression of genes related to liver fibrosis, such as procollagen-1 and -3, SM-actin and TGF-beta, were synergistically increased in the arsenic plus high fat diet group. The expression of genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2, MMP9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP1, TIMP2) was also enhanced, suggestive of early oncogenic events. In general, arsenite produced more pronounced effects than arsenate. In summary, chronic inorganic arsenic exposure in mice produces liver injury, and a high fat diet markedly increases arsenic-induced hepatofibrogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Guiyang Medical College, 550004 Guiyang, China. jn009@tom.com
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Waalkes
authors.forename: Ming-Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng-Xiu
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D011347:Procollagen / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D011347:Procollagen; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase; D001151:Arsenic