title: Animal models are reliably mimicking human diseases? A morphological study that compares animal with human NAFLD.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinical-pathological syndrome that includes a wide spectrum of morphological alterations. In research, animal models are crucial in evaluating not only the pathogenesis of NAFLD and its progression, but also the therapeutic effects of various agents. Investigations on the ultrastructural features of NAFLD in humans are not copious, due to the difficulty to obtain human samples and to the long time of NAFLD to evolve. Translational comparative studies on the reliability of animal models in representing the histopathologic picture as seen in humans are missing. To overcome this lack of investigations, we compared the ultrastructural NAFLD features of an animal model versus human. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a high fat diet (HFD) for 1-4 weeks, while control rats were fed with a standard diet. Human specimens were collected from patients with diagnosed fatty liver disease, undergoing liver biopsies or surgery. Rat and human samples were examined by light microscopy and by transmission and high resolution scanning electron microscopy. The present work demonstrated that NAFLD in animal model and in human, share overlapping ultrastructural features. In conclusion, animal HFD represent an appropriate tool in studying the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solinas
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.forename: Maria Alberta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lilliu
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Civolani
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Demelia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
keywords: NAFLD; animal model; liver