This study was aimed at finding out whether weight reduction alone can improve liver function in obese patients with fatty liver. We did a longitudinal, clinical intervention study on weight reduction by behavior modification, diet and exercise. The study subjects were 25 patients referred to an obesity clinic in whom obesity is the sole factor causing abnormal liver function and fatty liver. Patients were weighed about one year later. We compared the degree of improvement in hepatic function between Group I that showed weight reduction and Group II that showed no-weight reduction. Group I (13) showed dramatic improvement in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, nearly all down to within normal levels. AST showed statistically significant improvement from 74 +/- 36 IU/l to 25 +/- 7 IU/l. ALT also showed statistically significant improvement from 109 +/- 67 IU/l to 30 +/- 14 IU/l. Group II (12) showed higher AST and ALT levels on follow-up visit than initial visit. AST showed statistically significant elevation from 43 +/- 11 IU/l to 59 +/- 23 IU/l. ALT also showed statistically significant elevation from 64 +/- 21 IU/l to 97 +/- 33 IU/l. If we can rule the other causes of hepatic abnormalities in obese patients with fatty liver, we suggest these patients would benefit by weight reduction.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/metabolism ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/metabolism ; Body Weight/physiology ; Comparative Study ; *Diet, Reducing ; Fatty Liver/complications/*diet therapy/physiopathology ; Female ; Human ; Liver/enzymology/*physiopathology ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Age ; Obesity/complications/*diet therapy/physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo study role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the development of fatty liver fibrosis induced by methionine-choline-deficient diet in rats.

METHODSNon-alcoholic steatohepatitis was induced by 10 weeks- methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCDD), Markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress were determined by immunoblotting and real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe number of apoptotic hepatocytes, The expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers were increased significantly in MCDD group compared to control group (probability value less than 0.05 or probability value less than 0.01), while ratio of hepatocyte proliferation/apoptosis was decreased in MCDD group (probability value less than 0.01). The number of hepatocytes apoptosis, and the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers were decreased significantly 2 weeks after the feeding with normal diet in MCDD group (probability value less than 0.05 or probability value less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMCDD induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and fibrosis in rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; Choline ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Choline Deficiency ; Diet ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; physiology ; Fatty Liver ; complications ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diet therapy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Methionine ; deficiency ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar