Moro orange juice prevents fatty liver in mice

Figure 1 Effects of Moro juice on body weight and serum parameters. A: Body weight was markedly increased in mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) and was decreased to the levels of lean mice by Moro juice; B: Serum total cholesterol was significantly reduced in mice drinking Moro; C and D: Serum triglycerides (C) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (D) were restored to the levels of lean mice. ^aP < 0.05 vs standard diet (SD) + water; ^cP < 0.05 vs HFD + water.

Figure 2 Effects of Moro juice on insulin sensitivity. Insulin tolerance test was performed with 0.4 U/kg recombinant human insulin in the two groups of mice fed high-fat diet (HFD); area under curve of blood glucose was 8685 ± 516 in mice fed HFD + water and was reduced to 7225 ± 718 in HFD + Moro (P < 0.05).

Figure 3 Effects of Moro juice on liver histology and liver triglycerides content. A: Hematoxylin-eosin-stained liver sections showing normal histology in lean mice; B: Moderate panacinar steatosis and hepatocyte ballooning in mice fed high-fat diet (HFD); C: Liver sections of mice fed HFD + Moro showing absence of steatosis and ballooning; D: Liver triglycerides content was significantly decreased in mice drinking orange juice. ^aP < 0.05 vs standard diet (SD) + water, ^cP < 0.05 vs HFD + water. Magnification: 10 ×.

Figure 4 Effects of Moro juice on liver lipid homeostasis. Gene expression of (A) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and (B) acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) was significantly increased in mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) + Moro, whereas gene expression of (C) liver X receptor (LXR)-α, (D) fatty acid synthase (FAS) and (E) hydroxy methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase was markedly reduced by orange juice; Liver glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 (GPAT1) was increased in mice fed HFD + water and was restored to control levels in mice drinking Moro juice (F). ^aP < 0.05 vs standard diet (SD) + water, ^cP < 0.05 vs HFD + water.