Figure 1.

Beneficial effects of NaB on lowering hepatic steatosis in mice fed with HFD. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a HFD for 8 weeks, and then gavaged with NaB (1 g/kg/d) or vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline) for 8 weeks. Mice were sacrificed at the end of 16th week and livers were harvested. (A) Schematic illustration showing the design of the in vivo experiment. (B) Hepatic triglycerides and (C) cholesterol levels were assessed in mice (n = 6–8). (D) Representative hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Oil Red O stainings of the liver sections are shown (scale bar = 50 μm). (E) Steatosis score based on the SAF score algorithm is measured (n = 6). (F) Quantification of Oil Red O–stained areas is shown (n = 6). Serum levels of (G) triglycerides, (H) cholesterol, (I) alanine aminotransferase, and (J) aspartate aminotransferase are detected (n = 5–6). The data are presented as the mean ± SEM, unpaired 2-tailed Student’s t test, n = 5–8. ∗P < .05 vs mice fed with chow diet; #P < .05 vs mice fed with HFD.