Vitamin C Deficiency May Delay Diet-Induced NASH Regression in the Guinea Pig
Josephine Skat-Rørdam,
Kamilla Pedersen,
Gry Freja Skovsted,
Ida Gregersen,
Sara Vangsgaard,
David H. Ipsen,
Markus Latta,
Jens Lykkesfeldt,
Pernille Tveden-Nyborg
Affiliations
Josephine Skat-Rørdam
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Kamilla Pedersen
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Gry Freja Skovsted
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Ida Gregersen
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Sara Vangsgaard
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
David H. Ipsen
Global Obesity and Liver Disease Research In Vivo Pharmacology DK II, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760 Måløv, Denmark
Markus Latta
Global Obesity & Liver Disease Research, Global Drug Discovery, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Park 1, 2670 Måløv, Denmark
Jens Lykkesfeldt
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Pernille Tveden-Nyborg
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section of Experimental Animal Models, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Oxidative stress is directly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the progression to steaotohepatitis (NASH). Thus, a beneficial role of antioxidants in delaying disease progression and/or accelerating recovery may be expected, as corroborated by recommendations of, e.g., vitamin E supplementation to patients. This study investigated the effect of vitamin C deficiency—often resulting from poor diets low in fruits and vegetables and high in fat—combined with/without a change to a low fat diet on NAFLD/NASH phenotype and hepatic transcriptome in the guinea pig NASH model. Vitamin C deficiency per se did not accelerate disease induction. However, the results showed an effect of the diet change on the resolution of hepatic histopathological hallmarks (steatosis, inflammation, and ballooning) (p < 0.05 or less) and indicated a positive effect of a high vitamin C intake when combined with a low fat diet. Our data show that a diet change is important in NASH regression and suggest that a poor vitamin C status delays the reversion towards a healthy hepatic transcriptome and phenotype. In conclusion, the findings support a beneficial role of adequate vitamin C intake in the regression of NASH and may indicate that vitamin C supplementation in addition to lifestyle modifications could accelerate recovery in NASH patients with poor vitamin C status.
