Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of betaine on ultrastructural changes in the mouse liver with methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced NAFLD. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into groups: Control-fed with standard chow, BET-standard chow supplemented with betaine (1.5% w/v drinking water), MCD-fed with MCD diet, and MCD + BET-MCD diet with betaine supplementation for 6 weeks. Liver samples were taken for pathohistology and transmission electron microscopy. The MCD diet-induced steatosis, inflammation, and balloon-altered hepatocytes were alleviated by betaine. MCD diet induced an increase in mitochondrial size versus the control group (p < 0.01), which was decreased in the betaine-treated group. In the MCD diet-fed group, the total mitochondrial count decreased versus the control group (p < 0.01), while it increased in the MCD + BET group versus MCD (p < 0.01). Electron microscopy showed an increase in the number of autophagosomes in the MCD and MCD + BET group versus control, and a significant difference in autophagosomes number was detected in the MCD + BET group by comparison with the MCD diet-treated group (p < 0.05). Betaine decreases the number of enlarged mitochondria, alleviates steatosis, and increases the number of autophagosomes in the liver of mice with NAFLD.
Keywords: autophagosomes; betaine; mitochondria; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; ultrastructure.