Mouse models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a reflection on recent literature
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is strongly associated with overnutrition, insulin resistance, and predisposition to type 2 diabetes. To critically analyze the translational significance of currently-used animal models of NASH, we reviewed articles published during the last three years that studied NASH pathogenesis using mouse models. Among 146 articles, 34 (23%) used models in which overnutrition was reported, and 36 (25%) demonstrated insulin resistance, with or without glucose intolerance. Half the articles contained no information on whether mice exhibited overnutrition or insulin resistance. While 75 papers (52%) reported >2-fold increase of serum/plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared to controls, ALT levels were near normal or not reported in 48%. Liver pathology was assessed by a pathologist with an interest in liver pathology in 53% of articles published in gastroenterology/hepatology journals, versus 43-44% in other journals. While there appears to be a trend to use models that are potentially relevant to the pathogenesis of human NASH, journals currently publish data on mouse models in which overnutrition and insulin resistance do not occur, without ALT increase or appropriate analysis of NASH pathology. We recommend that investigators, reviewers and journal editors carefully consider the validity of NASH models in current use, and that moves are made to reach a consensus on what the minimal criteria should be.
Date Issued
2018-07-01
Date Acceptance
2018-01-30
Citation
Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2018, 33 (7), pp.1312-1320
ISSN
1440-1746
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1312
End Page
1320
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Volume
33
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Haczeyni, F., Yeh, M. M., Ioannou, G. N., Leclercq, I. A., Goldin, R., Dan, Y. Y., Yu, J., Teoh, N. C., and Farrell, G. C. (2018) Mouse Models Of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: A Reflection On Recent Literature. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, , which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgh.14122. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
Subjects
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
animal models
fibrosis
inflammation
liver pathology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-02-09