LCHP Diet Enriched with Cholesterol Promotes Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Wistar Rats

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of a low-carbohydrate-high-protein diet, enriched with cholesterol (LCHPch), on body weight, lipid metabolism, as well as kidney and liver function in rats. Wistar rats (N = 18, male) were randomly allocated into experimental groups and fed a modified AIN-93G diet with the addition of 1% cholesterol (AIN(ch), WDch and LCHPch diets) for 8 weeks. Despite the lack of significant differences in the final body weight and liver weight of animals, the kidneys of rats in the LCHPch group were considerably heavier compared to the control group. Serum total cholesterol and the sum of low- and very-low-density fractions of cholesterol as well as ALT activity were significantly increased in the LCHPch rats in comparison to the AIN(ch) group. Simultaneously, the highest content of liver fat was obtained for animals from LCHPch group. It was also shown that both WDch and LCHPch diets significantly changed fatty acid profile in the adipose tissue of rats compared to control, with a significant increase in SFA and MUFA and a decrease in PUFA. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was observed in rats fed not only WDch but also LCHPch diets. The detailed mechanism still needs to be investigated to prevent the organism from the harmful effects of macronutrient dietary imbalance.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the effects of a low-carbohydrate-high-protein diet on body weight, lipid metabolism, and kidney and liver function in rats. The results showed that this diet led to increased kidney weight, elevated serum cholesterol levels, increased liver fat content, and changes in fatty acid profile. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was observed in rats fed this diet.