Ezetimibe improves high fat and cholesterol diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice

Eur J Pharmacol. 2008 Apr 14;584(1):118-24. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.01.045. Epub 2008 Feb 12.

Abstract

Ezetimibe is a novel cholesterol and plant sterol absorption inhibitor that reduces plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by selectively binding to the intestinal cholesterol transporter, Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1. Mice deficient in Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 are protected from high fat/cholesterol diet-induced fatty liver as well as hypercholesterolemia. The object of the present study was to determine whether ezetimibe treatment could reduce hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese mice. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat/cholesterol containing semi-purified diet (45% Kcal fat and 0.12% cholesterol) for 7 months after weaning. These mice were not only obese, but also developed hepatomegaly and hepatic steatosis, with varying degrees of liver fibrosis and steatohepatitis. About 87% of the mice on the high fat/cholesterol diet for 7 months had elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase activity, a biomarker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Chronic administration of ezetimibe for 4 weeks significantly reduced hepatomegaly by decreasing hepatic triglyceride, cholesteryl ester and free cholesterol in diet-induced obese mice fed high fat/cholesterol diet for 7 months. Chronic ezetimibe treatment also significantly decreased plasma alanine aminotransferase activity. These results suggest that ezetimibe may be a novel treatment for high fat/cholesterol-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Azetidines / pharmacology*
  • Azetidines / therapeutic use
  • Cholesterol Esters / metabolism
  • Cholesterol, Dietary / administration & dosage*
  • Cholesterol, Dietary / metabolism
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage*
  • Dietary Fats / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Ezetimibe
  • Fatty Liver / drug therapy*
  • Fatty Liver / etiology
  • Fatty Liver / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Hepatomegaly
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / drug therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / drug therapy*
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • Anticholesteremic Agents
  • Azetidines
  • Cholesterol Esters
  • Cholesterol, Dietary
  • Dietary Fats
  • Triglycerides
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Ezetimibe