【Animal modeling】-Changes and significance of oxidative stress and cytokines in the formation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in gerbils

  Objective: To study the dynamic changes and significance of oxidative stress and cytokines in the formation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in gerbils.

  Methods: Forty-eight male long-clawed gerbils were randomly divided into normal group and model group, with 24 rats in each group. They were fed with normal diet and high-fat diet respectively, and each group was treated separately at the 4th, 8th and 16th weeks of the experiment. In 8 gerbils, the content of MDA in liver tissue homogenate and the activities of SOD, GSH-PX and T-AOC were dynamically detected by chemical method, and the levels of serum TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-10 and other cytokines were dynamically detected by liquid suspension chip technology. .

  Results: With the progression of NAFLD disease, the MDA content in the liver tissue of gerbils gradually increased, and was significantly higher than that in the normal group (P<0.01). Significantly decreased (P<0.05); SOD level increased significantly at first and then decreased, significantly higher than that of the normal group at 4 weeks (P<0.05), and significantly decreased at 8 weeks and 16 weeks (P<0.05, P<0.01); GSH The level of -PX showed a gradual downward trend, and was significantly lower than that of the normal group at 8 and 16 weeks (P<0.05). The serum cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ gradually increased with the progression of NAFLD, while the level of IL-10 decreased gradually. There were statistical differences between the two groups at 8 weeks and 16 weeks (P<0.05, P<0.01).

  Conclusion: The oxidative stress-related indicators and inflammatory cytokines in the high-fat-induced NAFLD model of gerbils have significant changes with the development of simple fatty liver to steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis, which are involved in the occurrence and development of NAFLD.