The mRNA expression of genes related to: (A) lipid utilization: FABP1, PPARα, ACOX1; (B) β-oxidation: ACSL1, ACAA2 and CPT1; and (C) triglyceride synthesis: FASN and MOGAT1 in livers of high-fat-diet-fed mice (HFD) treated with human MSC (+MSC); quantification of mRNA abundance by sqRT-PCR followed by densitometry; expression was normalized to the abundance of β2-microglobulin used as a housekeeping gene; values are means ± SD from 3 (ND − MSC), 4 (ND + MSC), 6 (HFD − MSC) and 8 (HFD + MSC) animals per group. Significant differences between the groups were validated by one-way ANOVA and the Newmann–Keuls test (SigmaStat; Jandel Scientific, San Rafael, CA, USA).