[Role of Kupffer cells in liver regeneration with metabolic associated fatty liver disease in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Kupffer cells on liver regeneration with metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced by a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet in mice. Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into three groups: control (normal diet), MAFLD model (MCD feeding), and MAFLD remission (MCD feeding followed by a normal diet after 5 weeks). Liver biochemical indices were detected. Liver tissue pathological morphology was analyzed. Kupffer cells infiltration and hepatocyte proliferation conditions were detected by immunofluorescence staining. Statistical analyses were performed using the t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey test, Dunnett test, or Two-way ANOVA test according to different data. Results: The MAFLD model group mice had severe liver lipid accumulation and delayed hepatocyte proliferation. The serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and triglyceride content in the MAFLD model group were increased by 8.10 times, 4.69 times, and 7.32 times, respectively, in comparison to the control group, as indicated by the results of biochemical index detection following five weeks, and this phenomenon was accompanied by a decrease in Kupffer cells. The MAFLD model group had an approximate reduction of 50% in Kupffer cells count compared to the control group. The addition of Kupffer cells had restored the normalized hepatocyte proliferation capacity and alleviated liver steatosis in vitro or through dietary change. Conclusion: The proliferation of hepatocytes has a certain stimulating effect with the supplementation of Kupffer cells in MCD-induced MAFLD mice.