Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease closely associated with metabolic syndrome, but there are no validated pharmacological therapies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) on NAFLD. Mice were fed either a control diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) with or without COS (200 or 400 mg/kg body weight (BW)) by oral gavage for seven weeks. Administration with COS significantly lowered serum lipid levels in the HFD-fed mice. The hepatic lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by COS, which was attributed to decreased expressions of lipogenic genes and increased expressions of fatty β-oxidation-related genes. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines, neutrophils infiltration, and macrophage polarization were decreased by COS in the liver. Furthermore, COS ameliorated hepatic oxidative stress by activating the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway and upregulating gene expressions of antioxidant enzymes. These beneficial effects were mediated by the activation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Therefore, COS might be a potent dietary supplement to ameliorate NAFLD.
Keywords: AMPK; chitosan oligosaccharide; inflammation; lipid accumulation; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; oxidative stress.