Figure 6.

Antibiotic treatment prevents the development of obesity, steatosis, and metabolic dysfunction in Nod2 ^−/− mice on HFD. (a) Nod2 ^−/− and WT mice were treated with Abx to deplete their intestinal microbiota. Control mice were not treated with antibiotics. Three weeks after the start of Abx all mice were placed on HFD and monitored for weight gain, histopathology, and metabolites. (b) Percent gain in weight compared to week 0 of HFD. (c,d) After 14 weeks of HFD, mice were analyzed for liver histopathology in BODIPY and DAPI stained sections and (d) percent frequency distribution of LD area (µm²) for ~4,000 LDs/group. (e–h) After 14 weeks of HFD, (e) liver triglycerides, (f) liver cholesterol, (g) serum cholesterol, and (h) serum triglycerides were measured. (b,d) Results are means ± SEM, (C) representative images, and (e–h) individual data of 6–10 mice/group. *P ≤ 0.05 and **P ≤ 0.001, Nod2 ^−/− Abx + HFD versus Nod2 ^−/− HFD.