Clinical Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 21, 2005; 11(47): 7480-7485
Published online Dec 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i47.7480
Steatosis recovery after treatment with a balanced sunflower or olive oil-based diet: Involvement of perisinusoidal stellate cells
Raquel Hernández, Esther Martínez-Lara, Ana Cañuelo, Mª Luisa del Moral, Santos Blanco, Eva Siles, Ana Jiménez, Juan Ángel Pedrosa, MªÁngeles Peinado
Raquel Hernández, Esther Martínez-Lara, Ana Cañuelo, Mª Luisa del Moral, Santos Blanco, Eva Siles, Ana Jiménez, Juan Ángel Pedrosa, MªÁngeles Peinado, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaén, Spain
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica, SAF 2003 04398-C02-02, and Junta de Andalucía, CVI-0184
Correspondence to: MªÁngeles Peinado, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. apeinado@ujaen.es
Telephone: +34-953-012303 Fax: +34-953-012141
Received: January 18, 2005
Revised: April 2, 2005
Accepted: April 8, 2005
Published online: December 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the relationship between perisinusoidal stellate cell (PSC) activation and the dietary fat quantity and composition in the treatment of hepatic steatosis.

METHODS: Using an experimental rat model of steatosis based on the intake of a hyperlipidic diet (14% fat as olive oil or sunflower oil, HL-O and HL-S, respectively), we analyzed the liver’s capability of recovery after the treatment with a normal-lipidic diet (5% fat as olive oil or sunflower oil, NL-O and NL-S, respectively) by immunocytochemical and Western blot analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in PSCs, collagen quantification and serum aminotransferase determination.

RESULTS: The fatty infiltration in the steatotic livers decreased after the treatment with both NL diets, indicating liver recovery. This decrease was accompanied with a lower collagen deposition and aminotransferase level as well as changes in the PSC population that increased the GFAP expression. The above-mentioned effects were more pronounced in animals fed on NL-O based diet.

CONCLUSION: Treatment with a balanced diet enriched in olive oil contributes to the liver recovery from a steatotic process. The PSC phenotype is a marker of this hepatic-recovery model.

Keywords: PSCs; GFAP; Steatosis; Collagen; Hyperlipidic diet; Liver recovery; Olive oil