Serum ornithine carbamyltransferase reflects hepatic damage in diabetic obese mice.
OBJECTIVE
As ornithine carbamyltransferase (OCT) has proved to be a sensitive serum marker in the detection of hepatotoxicity in several models, it is important to confirm its application to the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.


METHODS
C57BL/6, KK-Ta and KK-Ay mice were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks and serum enzyme markers were examined. Serum OCT and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also measured in diabetic obese ob/ob and db/db mice fed a normal diet. Liver damage in these mice was evaluated by the hepatic content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha.


RESULTS
Serum levels of OCT increased in KK-Ay fed a high-fat diet compared with the normal diet-fed group, whereas C57BL/6 and KK-Ta mice were not affected. In ob/ob mice, the relative increase was always greater in OCT than in ALT. In contrast, in db/db mice, the relative increase was always greater in ALT. Hepatic tumor necrosis factor-alpha was significantly elevated in ob/ob mice, but not in db/db mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum OCT seemed to reflect tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated hepatic damage when compared with ALT in diabetic obese mice and could be useful in the application for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with features of metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and diabetes.
Murayama
Hiroshi
H
Diagnostics Department, Yamasa Corporation, Choshi, Chiba, Japan. murayama@yamasa.com
Ikemoto
Masaki
M
Hamaoki
Masaru
M
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase