Abstract

The assessment of liver lipid content and composition is needed in preclinical research to investigate steatosis and steatosis-related disorders. The purpose of this study was to quantify in vivo hepatic fatty acid content and composition using a method based on short echo-time proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7T. Mouse model of glycogen storage disease type 1a with inducible liver-specific deletion of the glucose-6-phosphatase gene (L-G6pc-/-) and control mice were fed a standard diet or a high fat/high sucrose diet (HF/HS) during 9 months. In control mice, hepatic lipid content was found significantly higher with HF/HS diet than with standard diet. As expected, hepatic lipid content was already elevated in L-G6pc-/- mice fed a standard diet compared to control mice. L-G6pc-/- mice rapidly developed steatosis which was not modified by HF/HS diet. On standard diet, estimated amplitudes from olefinic protons were found significantly higher in L-G6pc/- mice compared to that in control mice. L-G6pc-/- mice showed no noticeable polyunsaturation from diallylic protons. Total unsaturated fatty acid indexes measured by gas chromatography were in agreement with MRS measurements. These results showed the great potential of high magnetic field MRS to follow the diet impact and lipid alterations in mouse liver.