The Effect of Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on NAFLD Treatment in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats.

Abstract

Background:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are 2 common liver diseases that currently lack effective treatment options.

Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on NAFLD treatment in an animal model.

Methods:

Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce NAFLD for 7 weeks. The rats were then categorized into 3 groups: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), MSC + LPS, and fenofibrate (FENO) groups. Liver and body weight were measured, and the expression of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, β-oxidation, and inflammatory responses was assessed.

Results:

Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated ADSCs were more effective in regulating liver and body weight gain and reducing liver triglyceride (TG) levels compared to the other groups. Treatment with LPS-stimulated ADSCs effectively corrected liver enzymes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lipid factors, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) values, better than treatment with both FENO and MSCs. ADSCs + LPS treatment significantly decreased transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and genes associated with inflammatory responses. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the rats treated with ADSCs + LPS.

Conclusions:

Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated ADSCs showed potential in alleviating NAFLD by reducing inflammatory genes and ROS levels in HFD rats, demonstrating better results than treatment with ADSCs and FENO groups alone.

• Authors: Reza Afarin, Fereshteh Aslani, Shahla Asadizade, Bahar Jaberian Asl, Mehrnoosh Mohammadi Gahrooie, Elham Shakerian, Akram Ahangarpour
• Journal: Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR (Iran J Pharm Res) 2023 Jan-Dec Vol. 22 Issue 1 Pg. e134807 ISSN: 1726-6890 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 38116551 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2023, Afarin et al.