studies

676A AASLD ABSTRACTS HEPATOLOGY, October, 2015
949
High calories intake and particulate matter exposition
promote the progression from steatosis to steatohepatitis
and create a permissive enviroment for hepatocellular
carcinoma development
Mirko Tarocchi, Giada Marroncini, Simone Polvani, Sara Tempesti,
Tommaso Mello, Francesca Zanieri, Elisabetta Ceni, Andrea
Galli; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences,
University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is
becoming the most common chronic liver disease, and the prevalence
is rapidly increasing in developed countries. Nonalcoholic
steatohepatitis (NASH), the severe form of NAFLD, can
also progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Recent evidences suggest that environmental factors can trigger
hepatic inflammation and progression of steatosis to NASH.
Aim: We evaluate if a western style diet in association with
chronic urban particulate matter exposition can modifies the
pathogenesis and progression of NASH, and support hepatocellular
carcinoma development. Materials and methods: The
experimental model was created to reproduce urban lifestyle:
C57Bl/6 mice were fed with a western style diet (HFD), and
treated with particular matter (PM) collected from the urban
area of Florence (Italy). After 4 and 8 weeks were performed
the morphologic analysis of liver tissues, the evaluation of
inflammatory cell infiltrate and the collagen deposition; we
evaluate also the effects of PM on cytokine production and oxidative
stress related cellular damage. After 8 weeks part of the
animals was also injected with murine hepatoma cells (2x10 6
Hepa1-6) and sacrificed after additional 2 weeks. Results: Both
the HFD groups developed fat accumulation in the liver, and
at 8 weeks, the NASH score was significantly increased in
HFD-PM group (p