title: In Situ Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Rat Fatty Liver Induced by a Methionine- and Choline-Deficient Diet.
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious health problem in developed countries. We documented the effects of feeding with a NAFLD-inducing, methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet, for 1-4 weeks on rat liver oxidative stress, with respect to a control diet. Glycogen, neutral lipids, ROS, peroxidated proteins, and SOD2 were investigated using histochemical procedures; ATP, GSH, and TBARS concentrations were investigated by biochemical dosages, and SOD2 expression was investigated by Western Blotting. In the 4-week-diet period, glycogen stores decreased whereas lipid droplets, ROS, and peroxidated proteins expression (especially around lipid droplets of hepatocytes) increased. SOD2 immunostaining decreased in poorly steatotic hepatocytes but increased in the thin cytoplasm of macrosteatotic cells; a trend towards a quantitative decrease of SOD expression in homogenates occurred after 3 weeks. ATP and GSH values were significantly lower for rats fed with the MCD diet with respect to the controls. An increase of TBARS in the last period of the diet is in keeping with the high ROS production and low antioxidant defense; these TBARS may promote protein peroxidation around lipid droplets. Since these proteins play key roles in lipid mobilization, storage, and metabolism, this last information appears significant, as it points towards a previously misconsidered target of NAFLD-associated oxidative stress that might be responsible for lipid dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boncompagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarantola
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gruppi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bertone
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milanesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaccarone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: M Enrica
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tira
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariapia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vairetti
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006834:Hydrazines; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000172:deficiency*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006834:Hydrazines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; C446799:dinitrophenylhydrazine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D006003:Glycogen; D008715:Methionine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; D002794:Choline