Figure 2.

Hepatocyte-specific expression of human ATF3 protects against HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis. C57BL/6J mice were i.v. injected with AAV8-ALB-Null or AAV8-ALB-hATF3 and then fed the HFCF diet for 16 weeks (n = 8 per group). Plasma levels of ALT and AST (A), TC (B), and TG (C) were analyzed. Hepatic levels of TC, FC (D), TG (E), FFA (F), and individual fatty acyl-CoAs (G) were quantified. Chol, cholesterol. Hepatic mRNA (H) and hydroxyproline (I) levels were determined. Liver sections were stained with ORO, H&E (J), or picrosirius red, or were immunohistochemically stained with an F4/80 antibody (K). The arrows in K point to fibrosis (top panel) or macrophages (bottom panel). L: The F4/80-positive areas were quantified. All values are expressed as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs. control.