Figure 9.

Effect of ADF and/or exenatide on hepatic histopathology in HFD-induced obesity in mice (I): Photomicrographs of hepatic sections stained with H&E for morphometric analysis. Sections from normal mice (A) showed preserved architecture with lobules formed of hepatocytes (dashed arrow) arranged in plates of one to two cell thickness showing abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and central nucleus surrounded by blood sinusoids (arrowhead); portal areas (arrow) showed bile ductules and portal vessels. Sections from high diet fed mice (B) showed disturbed architecture with marked cytoplasmic clear vacuolation displacing nucleus (steatosis is more than 66%); there is also ballooning degeneration of some hepatocytes. Additionally, there is scattered lobular inflammatory cell infiltration (arrowhead). Mice’ livers of ADF treated group (C) showed moderate ballooning degeneration and moderate focal steatosis; there is moderate portal inflammation with congested vessels. On the other hand, mice’ livers of exenatide treated group (D) showed few hepatocytes with moderate ballooning degeneration; there is mild lobular focal inflammation with mild portal inflammation with few congested vessels. However, combined ADF and exenatide treated group (E) showed preserved architecture with lobules formed of hepatocytes arranged in thin plates showing abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm with residual focal mild ballooning degeneration and focal residual mild steatosis; there is no lobular inflammation (H & E 400×). II – Effect of ADF and/or exenatide on the histopathological score in HFD-induced obesity in mice. Values are mean ± SD (n = 10), analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. ^¶,*,#p < 0.05; ^¶compared with NPD control group, *compared with HFD control group, ^#compared with exenatide treated group. III – Effect of ADF and/or exenatide on the histopathological percent area (%) in HFD-induced obesity in mice. Values are mean ± SD (n = 10), analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. ^¶,*,#p < 0.05; ^¶compared with NPD control group, *compared with HFD control group, ^#compared with exenatide treated group

NPD – normal palatable diet, HFD – high-fat diet, ADF – alternate-day high-fat diet.