title: Characteristics of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced in wistar rats following four different diets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased worldwide in parallel with overnutrition characterized by high-fat and high-carbohydrate intake. Our objective was to establish, in 16 weeks, a model of NAFLD in Wistar pathogen-free rats following four dietary types.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty (6 weeks old) healthy Wistar male rats, weighing an average of 150 g were randomly divided into four groups of ten and assigned a diet with the same quantity (15 g/rat/day), but with different composition. The moderate-fat (MF) group was fed a moderate-fat diet (31.5% fat and 50% carbohydrates), the high-fat (HF) group was fed a fat-rich diet (51% fat), the high-sucrose (HS) group and the high-fructose (HFr) group were fed a carbohydrate-rich diet (61%). The carbohydrate contents of the HS group was composed of 60.3% sucrose while that of the HFr group was composed of 59.3% fructose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At week 16, the HF group had the highest percentage of cells enriched in fat (40%) and the highest weight and liver weight (P < 0.05). The HFr group showed significantly higher levels of serum triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase and adiponectin at week 16 as compared to week 1 (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 15 g/rat/day diet composed of 51% fat or 61% carbohydrates enriched mainly in fructose may induce characteristics of NAFLD in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University, Damascus Road, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakhoury-Sayegh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trak-Smayra
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khazzaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health II, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Fady
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esseily
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health II, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahoud-Zouein
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, 19, rue Pierre Waguet, France.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Younes
keywords: Adiponectin; Wistar rats; fructose; sucrose; triglycerides