ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, exenatide, on liver function and steatosis in obese mice. METHODS: Male c57BL/6J mice (8 weeks old) were divided into high-fat-diet group (for obesity model construction) and chow diet group. 12 weeks later, mice of high-fat diet group were randomly divided into high-dose exenatide group [H group, intraperitoneal injection 0.02 µg/ (g·d) , high-fat-diet], low-dose exenatide group [L group, intraperitoneal injection 0.01 µg/ (g·d) , high-fat-diet], saline group (NS group, intraperitoneal injection of saline, high-fat-diet) , diet control group (D group, shifted to chow diet) and high-fat control group (M group, high-fat-diet) for 4-week treatments , respectively. The body mass and serum biochemical indicators of were detected. Liver tissues were stained with HE, and steatosis score was measured. RESULTS: After 4-week treatments, H group showed more body mass loss than L group and D group ( P<0.05). The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of NG group was higher than that of H, L, M, and NS groups ( P<0.05). Serum cholesterol and triglyceride declined to normal levels by diet intervention or drug treatment. High-dose exenatide treatment ran a risk of increasing serum uric acid level. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glucose, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipase, and amylase had no significant differences between groups (P>0.05). Hepatic steatosis score was reduced by diet intervention or drug treatment. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose exenatide treatment can effectively reduce body mass of obese mice, but it has little difference when compared with dietary intervention in improving blood fat and liver steatosis.