Probiotics suppress nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and carcinogenesis progression in hepatocyte-specific PTEN knockout mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a hepatic characteristic of metabolic syndrome, received significant attention in clinical settings. The multiple-hit theory is one of the proposed mechanisms of NAFLD, and gut dysbiosis is considered a hit. Thus, controlling gut microbiota is a potential target in the management of NAFLD, and probiotics can be used as a treatment agent for NAFLD. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of probiotics against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in a hepatocyte-specific PTEN knockout mouse model that mimics the characteristics of human NAFLD. Probiotics were administered to male knockout mice for 8 or 40 weeks. Next, we assessed hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, carcinogenesis, and oxidative stress. Probiotics were found to reduce serum transaminase levels, NAFLD activity score, and the gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, they decreased liver fibrosis grade, which was examined via Sirius red staining, gene expression of fibrotic markers, and hydroxyproline. Furthermore, probiotics suppressed the number of liver tumors, particular in HCC. Probiotics reduced oxidative stresses, including glutathione levels, and anti-oxidative stress marker, which may be an underlying mechanism for their beneficial effects. In conclusion, probiotics treatment had beneficial effects against NAFLD and carcinogenesis in hepatocyte-specific PTEN knockout mice.