Effect of Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Gene Expression of ATP-Citrate Lyase and H3K27ac in Developing Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in an Animal Model

Increase in ATP-dependent Citrate Lyase (ACLY) is observed in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). One of the compounds considered for the prevention of fatty liver is Medium chain triglycerides (MCT). In this study, the preventive effect of MCT on ACLY enzyme gene expression and the level of histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) were investigated in an animal model.

In this study, 18 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (n=6), fructose-fed (n=6), and fructose+MCT (n=6). Six weeks after the initiation of diets, the mice were sacrificed. ACLY gene expression was measured by Real-time qPCR. Also, H3K27 acetylation was investigated by western blotting. Data were analysed by one-way analysis of variance.

The liver index in mice fed with fructose+MCT showed a significant increase compared to those fed with fructose alone (P<0.05). Accumulation of triglyceride droplets in the slides prepared from the fructose+MCT group did not show significant changes compared to the fructose fed group (P<0.05). Fructose increased ACLY gene expression, but the changes were not found to be significant in the fructose+MCT group compared to the controls and fructose-fed group (P<0.05). Fructose+MCT significantly reduced the amount of H3K27ac compared to the control and fructose-fed groups (P<0.05).

The study showed that MCT alongside fructose is ineffective at preventing the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver.