Abstract
Triglyceride (TG) & nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) content in liver and serum, and serum enzymes originating from liver were measured in two different hypothalamic obese rat groups.
The hypothalamic obese rats were prepared according to Hetherington method (electrolytic lesion) and Scrafani method (knife cut lesion). 4 weeks after the operation, the obesity grade was the same in the two groups. However, some differences between them were observed. Electrolytic lesion rats got more fat (TG) accumulation in the liver, and enzymes (transaminases, lactic dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, r-glutamyl transpeptidase) were elevated in the sera. However, the TG & NEFA elevation in the serum was not so high. The knife cut lesion rats showed almost no liver function abnormalities, and had only modest fat deposition in the liver. But, the TG & NEFA elevation in serum was very high.
The fatty liver of the latter model was similar to that in human simple obesity. However, liver histology of these obese rats showed periportal fat deposition. This finding was different from that in human obesity.
Those hypothalamic obese rats can be used for the study of fatty liver formation.
