Effects of carnitine on peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number and liver function in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Functional and anatomical abnormalities of mitochondria play an important role in developing steatohepatitis. Carnitine is essential for enhanced mitochondrial beta oxidation through the transfer of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria. We examined the impact of carnitine complex on liver function and peripheral blood mitochondria copy number in NAFLD patients.



Forty-five NAFLD patients were enrolled. Patients were categorized into the carnitine complex-administered group and control group. Before and 3 months after drug administration, a liver function test and peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA and 8-oxo-dG quantitive analysis were conducted.



In carnitine treatment group, ALT, AST, and total bilirubin were reduced after medication. There was no difference in AST, ALT, and total bilirubin between before and after treatment in control group. In carnitine group, peripheral mitochondrial DNA copy number was significantly increased from 158.8+/-69.5 copy to 241.6+/-180.6 copy (p=0.025). While in control group the mitochondrial copy number was slightly reduced from 205.5+/-142.3 to 150.0+/-109.7. 8-oxo-dG level was also tended to decrease in carnitine group (p=0.23) and tended to increase in control group (p=0.07).



In NAFLD, the carnitine improved liver profile and peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number. This results suggest that carnitine activate the mitochondria, thereby contributing to the improvement of NAFLD.
Lim
Chae Young
CY
Department of Internal School of Medicine, Eulji University, Seoul, Korea.
Jun
Dae Won
DW
Jang
Sung Su
SS
Cho
Won Kyeung
WK
Chae
Jung Don
JD
Jun
Jin Hyun
JH
D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002331:Carnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations / Q000187:drug effects*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood*; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; D001663:Bilirubin; D002331:Carnitine