title: Angiotensin-(1-7) improves non-alcoholic steatohepatitis through an adiponectin-independent mechanism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent evidence suggests that angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] could improve non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) through an adiponectin-dependent mechanism. This study aimed to investigate whether and how Ang-(1-7) influences NASH without adiponectin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adiponectin knockout mice were fed with a high fat diet (HFD) or normal chow for 6 months, and were subsequently infused with Ang-(1-7) or saline for 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that HFD-fed mice showed obesity, hyperlipidemia, NASH, and significantly increased levels of serum Ang-(1-7). Chronic infusion of Ang-(1-7) could reduce body weight, absolute and relative liver weight, and serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in HFD-fed mice. In addition, Ang-(1-7) treatment could attenuate hepatocellular inflammation, steatosis, and ballooning with activation of the hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in HFD-fed knockout mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed the protective role of Ang-(1-7) in the development of NASH through an adiponectin-independent mechanism, which may be partially attributed to the activation of hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ailian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Meiling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: AMPK; adiponectin; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis