Fig. 4: Dietary McB intervention improves diet-induced metabolic and hepatic phenotype after prolonged WD feeding.

A 5 h fasting plasma insulin levels before (Week 20) and after (Week 21 + 5) dietary intervention. Dots represents individual data point and bars represents mean ± SEM. n = 7 (LFD) or 9 (WD_REF and WD_McB). LFD and WD_McB were compared to WD_CNTL by paired t-test. B Fat mass in grams measured by MR scan at indicated time points from dietary intervention. Dots represents individual data point and lines depicts mean. n = 10 (LFD and WD_McB) or 9 (WD_REF) per group. C NAFLD activity score separated in hepatic steatosis grade (0–3), inflammation (0–2) and hepatocellular ballooning (0–3) graded by blinded histological assessment of H&E stained liver tissue. Dots represents individual data point and bars represent median and interquartile range. n = 10 (LFD) or 9 (WD_REF and WD_McB) per group. D One representative H&E stained picture per group out of 10 (LFD) or 9 (WD_REF and WD_McB) liver tissue sections. E Number of lipid droplets in each liver sample per experimental group quantified by Oil Red O staining. Dots represents individual data point of 3 (LFD and WD_REF) and 4 (WD_McB) randomely chosen samples; bars represent median and interquartile range. F Average size of lipid droplets in each of 3-4 liver samples per experimental group quantified by Oil Red O staining in (E). Dots represents individual data point of 3 (LFD and WD_REF) and 4 (WD_McB) randomely chosen samples; bars represent median and interquartile range. G Distribution of lipid droplet size in % of all lipid droplets within each experimental group from E. H Plasma adiponectin concentration in 5 h fasted mice before (Week 20) and after (Week 21 + 5) dietary intervention. Dots represents individual data point and bars represents mean ± SEM. n = 8 (LFD), 7 (WD_REF), or 6 (WD_McB). I ITT after four weeks of dietary intervention (Week 21 + 4). Dots represents individual data point and lines depicts mean. n = 7 (LFD), 9 (WD_REF), or 10 (WD_McB). J Expression of key metabolic enzymes in liver tissue after 5 weeks of dietary intervention (Week 21 + 5) by RT-qPCR. Dots represents individual data point and bars represents mean ± SEM. n = 10 (LFD and WD_McB) or 8 (WD_REF) per group. A, H Statistical significance compared by paired t-test. B, I Statistical significance compared to WD_REF by two-way ANOVA-RM, adjusted for multiple comparisons by Dunnett post-hoc. C, E, F, J Statistical significance compared to WD_REF by Kruskal–Wallis test, adjusted for multiple comparisons by Dunn’s post-hoc. A–J All p-values < 1 × 10⁻¹ between WD_REF and indicated group are depicted.