title: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals increased hepatic lipid content after a single high-fat meal with no additional modulation by added protein.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fat accumulation in nonadipose tissue is linked to insulin resistance and metabolic diseases. Earlier studies have shown that hepatic lipid accumulation can occur after 4 d of a high-fat diet in humans, and this fat accumulation can be blunted by the ingestion of additional proteins.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we explored whether a single high-fat meal increased the lipid content in liver and skeletal muscle as measured by using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) and whether the addition of protein can modulate the postprandial ectopic lipid storage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intrahepatic lipid (IHL) and intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) concentrations were determined by using ¹H-MRS before and 3 and 5 h after a high-fat with added protein meal (61.5% of energy from fat) or a high-fat without added protein meal (mean ± SEM: 51.1 ± 7.9 g of protein; 191.9 ± 9.9 kcal added) in a randomized crossover study. IHL and IMCL concentrations were converted to absolute concentrations (g/kg wet weight) by using water as an internal reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine lean, healthy subjects [6 men and 3 women; mean (±SD) age: 22.7 ± 3.0 y; mean body mass index (in kg/m²): 21.8 ± 1.8] were included in this study. IHL concentrations increased ∼20% (P < 0.01) at 3 h after the meal and did not further increase after 5 h. In contrast, IMCL concentrations were not altered during the postprandial period (P = 0.74). The addition of protein to a single high-fat meal did not change the postprandial accumulation of fat in the liver (P = 0.93) or skeletal muscle (P = 0.84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we showed that a single energy-dense, high-fat meal induced net lipid accumulation in the liver, which was detected by using in vivo ¹H-MRS. This noninvasive approach might bring new opportunities to study postprandial hepatic lipid dynamics. The addition of protein did not change the ectopic lipid retention after a single high-fat meal.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindeboom
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christine I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Nabuurs
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthijs K C
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hesselink
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joachim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wildberger
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schrauwen
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology (LL, CIN, JEW, and VBS-H), Human Biology (LL, PS, and VBS-H), and Human Movement Sciences (CIN and MKCH), NUTRIM, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Top Institute Food and Nutrition (LL, CIN, PS, and VBS-H), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vera B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Schrauwen-Hinderling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D062408:Breakfast; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009426:Netherlands; D019518:Postprandial Period; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: 1H-MRS; IHL; IMCL; postprandial; protein