Lack of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α in mice enhances methionine and choline deficient diet-induced steatohepatitis

Pathogenesis of steatohepatitis, a common liver disease, remains controversial. It is proposed that fatty liver with a second hit capable of inducing necroinflammation results in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Long chain and very long chain fatty acids are considered important in induction of steatohepatitis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) plays an important role in β-oxidation of long chain and very long chain fatty acids and mitogenic effect caused by peroxisome proliferators in the liver. To determine the role of PPARα in the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis and compensatory liver cell hyperplasia, we have used PPARα null mice and methionine and choline deficient nutritional model. Male and female PPARα null mice and wild type mice were fed methionine and choline deficient diet (MCDD) or normal chow for 4 weeks. Livers were analyzed morphologically for steatosis, steatohepatitis and hepatocyte proliferation (PCNA labeling) and biochemically for triglyceride levels. In addition, serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and triglyceride levels were measured. In MCDD fed PPARα null mice there was severe steatohepatitis and very high liver triglyceride levels compared to wild type mice. Serum aspartate transaminase levels were also significantly higher in MCDD fed PPARα null mice compared to wild type mice. The severity of steatohepatitis in MCDD fed male and female PPARα null mice was greater compared to wild type mice fed the same diet. The PCNA labeling index was similar in PPARα null mice and wild type mice fed MCDD, and significantly higher in both the groups compared to the mice fed control diet. These findings indicate that defective fatty acid oxidation aggravates steatohepatitis caused by methionine and choline deficiency and further establishes the role of long chain and very long chain fatty acids in the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis. In addition, the results of this study also indicate that there is no difference between males and females in the severity of steatohepatitis induced by MCDD and lack of PPARα does not affect compensatory hyperplasia in the liver.