Fig. 1.

Metformin (Metf) ameliorates high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic syndrome. Male C57 BL/6 mice (6 wk old; n = 10 per condition) were maintained on a standard grain-based chow diet or administered a Western-style, low-fiber HFD for 12 wk. HFD-fed mice were injected intraperitoneally with normal saline (NS) or metformin (metf) daily from 2 wk post-diet exposure until being euthanized. A and B: weight and body composition were monitored. C: epididymal fat pad pass measured post-euthanasia. D: mice were fasted for 5 h every 4 wk, and blood glucose was measured. E: colon length measured post-euthanasia. F: serum macrophage chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) measured by ELISA following 8 wk HFD exposure and overnight fasting. G: representative hematoxylin-eosin-stained liver sections. H: histologic scoring of liver sections for extent lipid accumulation. Data are shown as means ± SE. *Statistical significance (P < 0.05) by Student’s t test for HFD/metformin vs. HFD/NS. BW, body weight; MCP-1, macrophage chemotactic protein-1.