Understanding the potential uses of strontium in treating fatty liver disease

Chinese researchers test the effect of strontium, an alkaline earth metal, on endoplasmic reticulum stress in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease models. Their findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• The researchers aim to explore the effects of strontium on fatty liver and to determine the mechanisms by which strontium improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). They also evaluated how strontium affects endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathways. They used both in vitro and in vivo models.
• For the in vitro model of NAFLD, the researchers used human hepatocyte cell line (L02) treated with 0.2 mM palmitic acid. For the in vivo model of NAFLD, they fed Sprague-Dawley rats with a high-fat diet (HFD).
• The researchers then determined the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and lipid deposition in L02 cells and liver tissues.
• They observed that strontium treatment suppressed intracellular TC and TG levels and lipid accumulation in L02 cells. This effect was more pronounced when using high concentrations of strontium.
• Strontium significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), SREBP cleavage activator protein (SCAP), sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), and SREBP-2 in L02 cells.
• The researchers observed similar effects in HFD-fed rats. Strontium treatment reduced serum TC, TG, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, as well as hepatic lipid accumulation.
• Strontium treatment also reduced the expression of GRP78 and SREBP-2 protein in liver tissues.
• Overall, strontium alleviated hepatic steatosis by decreasing ERS-related protein expression.

There is evidence to suggest that strontium may be a potential treatment and preventive therapy for NAFLD.

Learn more about NAFLD at LiverDamage.news.

Journal Reference:

Jiang H, Guan Q, Xiao Y, Feng Z, Yu G, Pan Q. STRONTIUM ALLEVIATES ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM STRESS IN A NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE MODEL. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2018;21(12):1228–1237. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2018.4186