Combination curcumin and vitamin E treatment attenuates diet-induced steatosis in Hfe-/- mice

Figure 2 Steatosis is attenuated by curcumin and vitamin E combination therapy while the expression of fibrotic and inflammatory genes are not significantly altered. A: Representative liver paraffin-embedded sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) (original magnification × 20). a: Hfe^-/- mice (n = 7-9 per group) fed HCD (20 wk); b: HCD (10 wk) then HCD + 1% curcumin (10 wk); c: HCD (10 wk) then HCD + 1.5% vitamin E (10 wk); d: HCD (10 wk) then HCD + 1% curcumin + 1.5% vitamin E (10 wk). qRT-PCR was used to determine expression levels of hepatic (B) fibrogenic genes: α1(I)-procollagen (Col1a1); Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β); Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (Timp1); C: Hepatic inflammatory genes: monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (Mcp-1); orosmucoid 1 (Orm1) and serum amyloid A 1 (Saa1). Data are depicted using box and whisker plots showing median, minimum and maximum values. Statistical significance was tested using Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s correction for multiple comparisons. HCD: High calorie diet; Cu: Curcumin; VE: Vitamin E.