The Treatment with Antibody of TNF-α Reduces the Inflammation, Necrosis and Fibrosis in the Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Induced by Methionine- and Choline-deficient Diet

To assess the effects of anti-TNF-α antibody (infliximab) in experimental steatohepatitis induced by methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet. The study included thirty rats. One group received normal rat food, and two groups received MCD diet. The treatment group received a single dose intra-peritoneal infliximab (4 mg/kg), at week 8. MCD diet increased levels of AST, ALT, TNF-α, TGF-β₁, tissue and plasma MDA (p < 0.05 for each). Moreover, it led to steatosis, ballooning degeneration, inflammation, fibrosis and increased actin expression, histopathologically (p < 0.05 for each). In this experimental steatohepatitis anti-TNF-α antibody decreased the levels of AST, ALT, TGF-β₁ and plasma and tissue MDA (p < 0.05 for each). Moreover, inflammation, necrosis, actin expression and fibrosis decreased in anti-TNF-α group compared to placebo group (p < 0.05 for each). This study indicates that anti-TNF-α antibody is effective on necrosis, inflammation and fibrosis in the experimental model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, induced by MCD diet.