Novel translational mouse models of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease comparable to human MASLD with severe obesity

Objective

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease, especially in patients with severe obesity. However, current mouse models for MASLD do not reflect the polygenetic background nor the metabolic changes in this population. Therefore, we investigated two novel mouse models of MASLD with a polygenetic background for the metabolic syndrome.

Methods

TALLYHO/JngJ mice and NONcNZO10/LtJ mice were fed a high-fat- high-carbohydrate (HF-HC) diet with a surplus of cholesterol diet. A second group of TH mice was additional treated with empagliflozin.

Results

After sixteen weeks of feeding, both strains developed metabolic syndrome with severe obesity and histological manifestation of steatohepatitis, which was associated with significantly increased intrahepatic CD8⁺cells, CD4⁺cells and Tregs, contributing to a significant increase in pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic gene activation as well as ER stress and oxidative stress. In comparison with the human transcriptomic signature, we could demonstrate a good metabolic similarity, especially for the TH mouse model. Furthermore, TH mice also developed signs of kidney injury as an extrahepatic comorbidity of MASLD. Additional treatment with empagliflozin in TH mice attenuates hepatic steatosis and improves histological manifestation of MASH.

Conclusions

Overall, we have developed two promising new mouse models that are suitable for preclinical studies of MASLD as they recapitulate most of the key features of MASLD.