High-fat/high-fructose diet and Opisthorchis viverrini infection promote metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease via inflammation, fibrogenesis, and metabolic dysfunction.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the effect of a high-fat/high-fructose (HFF) diet combined with O. viverrini infection on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Results Summary
The study found that the HFF diet, especially when combined with O. viverrini infection, led to significant hepatic damage, including lipid-droplet accumulation, inflammation, fibrosis, and metabolic dysfunction. Biochemical and histopathological analyses confirmed worsened liver function and increased expression of fibrotic and inflammatory markers in the HFF+OV group.
Population
Male golden hamsters (animal study).
Effective Dosage
Not specified (described as "high-fat/high-fructose diet").
Duration
4 months.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
high-fat/high-fructose diet combined with O. viverrini infection | increase | MASLD | male golden hamsters | - | aggravates the progression | #1 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet | increase | hepatic damage | male golden hamsters | - | substantial hepatic damage | #2 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | lipid-droplet accumulation | male golden hamsters | - | demonstrated marked | #3 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | hepatocyte ballooning | male golden hamsters | - | demonstrated marked | #4 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | inflammatory-cell clustering | male golden hamsters | - | demonstrated marked | #5 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | widespread fibrosis | male golden hamsters | - | demonstrated marked | #6 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | alanine aminotransferase | male golden hamsters | - | had the highest concentrations | #7 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | triglycerides | male golden hamsters | - | had the highest concentrations | #8 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet | increase | cholesterol | male golden hamsters | - | increased | #9 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet | increase | low-density lipoprotein levels | male golden hamsters | - | increased | #10 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | Tgf-β1 | male golden hamsters | - | increased expression | #11 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | α-SMA | male golden hamsters | - | increased expression | #12 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | inflammatory markers (HMGB-1, p65, and F4/80) | male golden hamsters | - | significant increase in levels | #13 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | genes related to the synthesis of fatty acids and glucose | male golden hamsters | - | increased expression | #14 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | fatty acids and proteins | male golden hamsters | - | revealed distinct changes | #15 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | histopathology | male golden hamsters | - | associated with the more pronounced histopathology | #16 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | decrease | liver function | male golden hamsters | - | associated with the more pronounced impaired liver function | #17 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | liver damage | male golden hamsters | - | aggravates the progression by augmenting | #18 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | inflammation | male golden hamsters | - | aggravates the progression by augmenting | #19 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | fibrogenesis | male golden hamsters | - | aggravates the progression by augmenting | #20 |
high-fat/high-fructose diet plus O. viverrini infection | increase | metabolic dysfunction | male golden hamsters | - | aggravates the progression by augmenting | #21 |
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and opisthorchiasis, caused by Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini) infection, frequently co-exist in Northeast Thailand. However, the underlying pathophysiology remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the effect of a high-fat/high-fructose (HFF) diet combined with O. viverrini infection on MASLD. Four groups each of ten male golden hamsters were established: normal controls (NC), O. viverrini-infected (OV), HFF-fed, and HFF-fed plus O. viverrini infection (HFF+OV). After four months of treatment, histopathological study indicated substantial hepatic damage in groups given the HFF diet. In particular, the HFF+OV group demonstrated marked lipid-droplet accumulation, hepatocyte ballooning, inflammatory-cell clustering, and widespread fibrosis. Biochemical tests indicated that the HFF+OV group had the highest concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and triglycerides, but cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels had increased in both HFF groups. Increased expression of Tgf-β1 and α-SMA, indicative of greater fibrosis, was demonstrated by picrosirius-red staining in the HFF+OV group. There was a significant increase in levels of inflammatory markers (HMGB-1, p65, and F4/80) and expression of genes related to the synthesis of fatty acids and glucose. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed distinct changes in fatty acids and proteins, associated with the more pronounced histopathology and impaired liver function in the HFF+OV group. The findings indicate that the interplay of a HFF diet and O. viverrini infection aggravates the progression of MASLD by augmenting liver damage, inflammation, fibrogenesis, and metabolic dysfunction. This study highlights the significance of incorporating both nutritional and infection factors into the management of liver disorders, especially in areas where opisthorchiasis is common.