Histopathological Diagnosis of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Abstract

Fatty acid beta oxidation (FAO) is a predominant bioenergetic pathway in mammals. Substantial investigations have demonstrated that FAO activity is dysregulated in many pathophysiological conditions including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Convenient and quantitative assays of FAO activities are important for studies of cell metabolism and the biological relevance of FAO to health and diseases. However, most current FAO assays are based on non-physiological culture conditions, measure FAO activity indirectly or lack adequate quantification. We herein describe details of practical protocols for measurement of basal and genetically or pharmacologically regulated FAO activities in the mammalian system. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these assays in the context of experimental purposes.

Keywords: Fatty acid oxidation; Fatty acids; Lipid metabolism; Oxygen consumption rate.