The Effect Of Chronic Intrauterine Hypoxia On Nonalcoholic Fattyliver Disease In Adult Rabbit Offspring And The Protection Of Astragalus

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of chronic intrauterine hypoxia on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adult rabbit offspring and the protective function of Astragalus.MethodsTwenty-four New-Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups on gestation day 10: chronic intrauterine hypoxia group(CIH,12%O₂,n=8),Astragalus group(CIH&A,12%O₂, n=8) and normal control(NC,21%O₂,n=8).After delivery,one male offspring of each mother rabbit was selected and breast-fed for three months.Then they were fed on normal diet from the fourth month to the sixth month.At the end of the sixth month,serum alanine transaminase (ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST),triglyceride(TG),cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),high density lipoprotein- cholesterol(HDL-C),tumor necrosis-α(TNF-α) were measured.The rabbits' fatty livers were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry and image the expression of TNF-αin the liver.Results1.Compared with the normal group,the level of serum TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-αin chronic intrauterine hypoxia group were significantly increased,but the level of serum HDL-C was decreased.There was much significant difference between the two groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the normal group,the level of serum TG,LDL-C in Astragalus group were significantly increased,but the level of serum HDL-C was decreased.There was much significant difference between the two groups(P＜0.05).Compared with chronic intrauterine hypoxia group,the level of serum TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-αin Astragalus group were significantly decreased,but the level of serum HDL-C was increased.There was much significant difference between the two groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the normal group,the level of serum TC and TNF-αwas increased,but there was no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).Compared with the normal group,the level of serum AST,ALT in chronic intrauterine hypoxia group and Astragalus group were significantly increased,but there was no significant difference between the three groups(P＞0.05).2.There were significantly different in hepatic tissue HE stain and TNF-αexpression among CIH,CIH & A and NC groups.According to the degree of hepatic tissue fatty degeneration,CIH group is the highest,and NC group is the lowest.However there were significantly different in the degree of hepatic tissue fatty degeneration among the three groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion1.This experiment has successfully produced the model of chronic intrauterine hypoxia.2.Chronic intrauterine hypoxia can lead to intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)and lower body birth-weight.3.Chronic intrauterine hypoxia is an important influence factor resulting in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adult rabbit offspring.Chronic intrauterine hypoxia may increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver in adult rabbit offspring.4.Astragalus can reduce the damage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adult rabbit offspring which is caused by chronic intrauterine hypoxia and protect rabbit offspring from chronic intrauterine hypoxia.