Experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in Göttingen Minipigs: consequences of high fat-fructose-cholesterol diet and diabetes

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in humans, and ranges from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the latter with risk of progression to cirrhosis. The Gottingen Minipig has been used in studies of obesity and diabetes, but liver changes have not been described. The aim of this study was to characterize hepatic changes in Gottingen Minipigs with or without diabetes, fed a diet high in fat, fructose, and cholesterol to see if liver alterations resemble features of human NAFLD/NASH.