Journal of Functional Foods (Feb 2022)
Broccoli ameliorate NAFLD by increasing lipolysis and promoting liver macrophages polarize toward M2-type
Abstract
Presently, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver metabolic disease affecting the health of global citizens. The high activity and low toxicity of natural products make the use of dietary strategies to prevent NAFLD becoming a frontier hot spot. We investigated the broccoli, a natural food with lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory properties, can ameliorate NAFLD in mice fed with Methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 6-weeks/8-weeks. The following mechanisms may be involved: I) Increased the mRNA expression of key lipolysis genes; II) Inhibited the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and increased the secretion of IL-10; III) Reduced the production of NO and enhanced the activity of Arginase. Regulating the M1/M2 polarization of macrophages may be related mechanisms that broccoli suppressed the inflammatory process of NAFLD. This experiment will provide a theoretical basis for dietary intervention with broccoli in delaying the occurrence and development of NAFLD.