Anat Biol Anthropol.  2023 Dec;36(4):209-217. 10.11637/aba.2023.36.4.209.

Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Splenic Galectin-3 Protein Expression in High-fat Diet-fed Mice

• Lee CE

• KMID: 2551292
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11637/aba.2023.36.4.209

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) causes the increase of splenic macrophages. Galectin-3 plays an important role in the phagocytosis of macrophages. However, the role of splenic galectin-3 in NAFLD remains unclear. This study determines the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on splenic galectin-3 protein expression in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Mice were fed an HFD for 30 weeks and then either continued on the HFD or subjected to IF for the last 22 weeks. IF led to the reduction of spleen weight and attenuated NAFLD in HFD-fed mice. In particular, total splenic iron concentration was decreased in HFD-fed mice compared to NDfed mice. However, IF reversed the total iron level. Increased splenic galectin-3 expression in HFD-fed mice was significantly attenuated by IF. HFD + IF-fed mice had fewer galectin-3-positive macrophages in the spleen than those of HFD-fed mice. These findings indicate that IF can improve galectin-3-mediated phagocytosis in mice with NAFLD.

Keyword

Intermittent fasting; NAFLD; Spleen; Galectin-3; Mouse