Abstracts of the 2023 Annual Meeting of the ALEH
More infoChronic alcohol consumption causes alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) ranging from fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis, and HCH. Currently, the main treatment for alcohol-related liver disease is abstinence; then it becomes necessary to evaluate therapeutic alternatives. Micronutrients known as methyl group donors have the potential to influence the development and progression of several diseases, including ARLD. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chronic alcohol consumption coupled with methyl-group donor supplementation on metabolic and histologic features and gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines in a murine model of ARLD.
Materials and Methods24 male C57BL/6J mice with an initial weight of 20-25g were divided into groups with a conventional diet (ND n=8); or alcohol- related liver-injury was induced with ad libitum consumption of a 20% ethanol-aqueous drink and a 45%-fat diet (OH n=8) for 18 weeks; or with ethanol drink and the diet high in fat for 10 weeks, plus 8 additional weeks of this diet plus methyl group donor orogastric supplementation -zinc sulfate, methionine, vitamin B12, folic acid, betaine and choline- (OH +METMIX n=8). Serum biochemical studies and hepatic and adipose histological analyzes were performed. In the liver, mRNA levels of IL6 and TNFa were quantified.
ResultsSupplemented animals showed a decrease in body weight, epididymal fat and serum levels of cholesterol, HDL and LDL (p<0.05). Meanwhile, AST, ALT, TG and VLDL, as well as IL-6 and TNF- mRNA and the hormones insulin, leptin, glucagon and resistin showed a tendency to decrease in the METMIX group.
ConclusionsTreatment with methyl-group donors improves body weight, body composition, cholesterol, LDL and HDL concentrations exerting beneficial and protective effects even with continuous consumption of an ethanol-aqueous drink.
