title: Fatty liver promotes fibrosis in monkeys consuming high fructose.
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) are related to development of liver fibrosis which currently has few therapeutic options. Rodent models of NAFLD inadequately model the fibrotic aspects of the disease and fail to demonstrate the spectrum of cardiometabolic diseases without genetic manipulation. This study aimed to document a monkey model of fatty liver and fibrosis, which naturally develop cardiometabolic disease pathophysiologies.
  
  
  
  Twenty-seven cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) fed diets either low or high in simple carbohydrates, supplied as fructose [control and high-fructose diet (HRr)], on low-fat, cholesterol-free background were studied. The HFr was consumed for up to 7 years, and liver tissue was histologically evaluated for fat and fibrosis extent.
  
  
  
  The HFr diet increased steatosis, and its extent was related to duration of fructose exposure. Lipid droplet size also increased with HFr duration; however, compared with control, the lipid droplets were smaller on average. Fibrosis extent was significantly greater with fructose feeding and was predicted by fructose exposure, extent of fatty liver, and age.
  
  
  
  These data are the first to demonstrate that high-carbohydrate diets alone can generate both liver fat and fibrosis and thus allow further study of mechanisms and therapeutic options in the translational animal model.
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cydylo
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000882:Haplorhini; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005632:Fructose