title: Dietary Biotin Supplementation Modifies Hepatic Morphology without Changes in Liver Toxicity Markers.
abstract: Pharmacological concentrations of biotin have pleiotropic effects. Several reports have documented that biotin supplementation decreases hyperglycemia. We have shown that a biotin-supplemented diet increased insulin secretion and the mRNA abundance of proteins regulating insulin transcription and secretion. We also found enlarged pancreatic islets and modified islet morphology. Other studies have shown that pharmacological concentrations of biotin modify tissue structure. Although biotin administration is considered safe, little attention has been given to its effect on tissue structure. In this study, we investigated the effect of biotin supplementation on hepatic morphology and liver toxicity markers. Male BALB/cAnN Hsd mice were fed a control or a biotin-supplemented diet for 8 weeks. Versus the control mice, biotin-supplemented mice had an altered portal triad with dilated sinusoids, increased vascularity, and bile conducts. Furthermore, we observed an increased proportion of nucleomegaly and binucleated hepatocytes. In spite of the liver morphological changes, no differences were observed in the serum liver damage indicators, oxidative stress markers, or antioxidant enzymes. Our data demonstrate for the first time that biotin supplementation affects liver morphology in normal mice, and that these modifications are not paralleled with damage markers.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 4th Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riverón-Negrete
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 4th Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sicilia-Argumedo
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 4th Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico; Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, 22860, Ensenada, BC, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Delgado
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neurosciencias, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 3rd Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elvia
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1309-0784
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coballase-Urrutia
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 4th Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alcántar-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida del Imán 1, 4th Floor, Colonia Insurgentes Cuicuilco, 04530 Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6531-6856
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Mejia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001710:Biotin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001710:Biotin