Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2014-07-01

Maraviroc, a CCR5 antagonist, ameliorates the development of hepatic steatosis in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Laura Pérez-Martínez, Patricia Pérez-Matute, Javier Aguilera-Lizarraga, Susana Rubio-Mediavilla, Judit Narro, Emma Recio, Laura Ochoa-Callejero, José-Antonio Oteo, José-Ramón Blanco

Index: J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 69(7) , 1903-10, (2014)

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Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the general population. The NAFLD spectrum ranges from simple steatosis to cirrhosis. The chemokine CCL5/RANTES plays an important role in the progression of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of maraviroc, a CCR5 antagonist, on liver pathology in a NAFLD mouse model.A total of 32 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (i) control group (chow diet plus tap water); (ii) maraviroc group (chow diet plus maraviroc in drinking water); (iii) high-fat diet (HFD) group (HFD plus tap water); and (iv) maraviroc/HFD group (HFD plus maraviroc). All mice were sacrificed 16 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. Biochemical analyses and liver examinations were performed.Mice in the HFD group showed a tendency towards increased body mass gain and liver damage compared with the maraviroc/HFD group. Moreover, liver weight in the HFD group was significantly higher than in the maraviroc/HFD group. Hepatic triglyceride concentration in the maraviroc/HFD group was significantly lower than in the HFD group. Interestingly, the maraviroc/HFD group exhibited a lower degree of steatosis. Furthermore, hepatic CCL5/RANTES expression was significantly lower in the maraviroc/HFD group than in the HFD group. Overall, no differences were observed between the control group and the maraviroc group.Maraviroc ameliorates hepatic steatosis in an experimental model of NAFLD.© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.