Fig. 8

Phf2 protects the liver from high fat and high sucrose diet-induced fibrogenesis during obesity. GFP or Phf2 were overexpressed through AAV strategy specifically in the liver of 7-week-old male C57Bl/6 J mice. Mice were then fed with either a chow diet (NCD) or with a high fat and high sucrose diet (HFHSD) for 16 weeks. Mice were studied in the fed state. a Representative western blot analysis showing the contribution of Phf2 overexpression to the regulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling and pro-fibrogenic pathways in liver extracts (n = 15 per group). b (Left) Oral glucose tolerance test and insulin levels during the OGTT test. (right) Insulin tolerance test (n = 15 per group). c Liver sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), trichrome masson and sirius red are shown. Scale bars = 100 μm (n = 10 per group). d Percentage of fibrotic area and percentage of apoptotic hepatocytes (n = 15 per group). e Relative oxidized GSSG content and measurement of Gpx activity (n = 10 per group). f Levels of carbonylated proteins (n = 10 mice per group). All error bars represent mean ± SEM. Statistical analyses were made using unpaired t-test (b) or Anova, followed by Bonferonni’s test (d, e). *P < 0.01 HFHSD/GFP compared to HFHSD/Phf2, ^$P < 0.01 HFHSD/GFP compared to NCD/GFP, ^£P < 0.01 HFHSD/Phf2 compared to HFHSD/GFP