studies

HEPATOLOGY, VOLUME 62, NUMBER 1 (SUPPL) AASLD ABSTRACTS 957A
Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is the rate-limiting enzyme
for triglyceride hydrolysis in adipose tissue, muscle, and liver.
In a murine model of cancer cachexia, global deletion of ATGL
prevented tumor-induced weight loss by inhibiting both adipose
tissue and skeletal muscle wasting. Whether tissue-specific
ATGL inactivation can ameliorate chronic-liver disease
associated cachexia is unknown. Our aim was to determine
the role of adipose tissue ATGL on cachexia development in
a murine model of biliary injury (bile duct ligation). Methods:
Adipose-tissue specific ATGL-knockout (AAKO, N = 10) and
wild type C57/BL6 (N = 10) male mice 10-15 weeks old were
treated with bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham laparotomy. Calorie
intake and body weight were measured weekly. Body composition
was determined weekly using Echo-MRI, and 36-hour
respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and activity were measured
in an Oxymax Comprehensive Laboratory Animal Monitoring
System (CLAMS). Animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after surgery.
Results: At baseline, AAKO mice exhibited increased
adipose tissue mass compared to WT mice. BDL-treated WT
and AAKO mice developed moderate fibrosis by Sirius Red
staining. There were no differences in caloric intake between
genotypes and treatment groups. BDL significantly reduced fat
mass and lean mass (% total body weight) in AAKO mice
only (p