Changes in hepatic vascular parameters reported in experimental NAFLD

Authors/YearStudy typeLiver disease characteristicsMajor findings
Wada et al. (1974) [20]Male Donryu rats, choline-deficient vs. control diet
(n = 12 vs. 27)		Steatosis, steatosis with fibrosis, or cirrhosis after 8 to 38 weeks of interventionSinusoidal narrowing, decreased venous flow (60%), and increased portal pressure present in steatosis alone
Seifalian et al. (1999) [21]New Zealand white rabbits, high cholesterol vs. control diet for 4, 8, and 12 weeks
(n = 6 vs. 18)		SteatosisTotal hepatic blood flow (137 ± 6 mL/min) reduced to 99 ± 5 mL/min (P < 0.002), and 63 ± 5 mL/min (P < 0.002) in steatotic livers after 8 and 12 weeks, respectively
Sun et al. (2003) [22]Male Zucker obese vs. lean rats (25 to 30 weeks of age)
(n = 7 vs.7)		Massive steatosis, no cirrhosisReduced total hepatic blood flow (35%) and portal venous flow (38%) in steatosis
Francque et al. (2010) [23]Male Wistar rats, methionine-choline-deficient vs. control diet for 4 weeks
(n = 12 vs. 12)		Steatosis with nearly absent inflammation and no fibrosisVasodilator response to phenylephrine blunted in steatotic livers and portal venous pressure increased from 2.8 ± 0.5 mmHg to 9.0 ± 0.7 mmHg (P < 0.001)
Pasarin et al. (2012) [24]Male Wistar Kyoto rats, cafeteria vs. control diet for 1 months
(n = 7 vs. 7)		Steatosis without inflammation or fibrosisVasodilator response to acetylcholine blunted in steatotic livers and IHVR increased 2.2-fold
Garcia-Lezana et al. (2018) [25]Male Sprague-Dawley rats, high-glucose/fructose, high-fat vs. control diet (n = 6 vs. 6) for 8 weeks (experiment 1) used for heterologous vs. autologous fecal microbiota transplantation (experiment 2)
(n = 10 to 14)		Steatohepatitis with mild or absent fibrosisDietary intervention increased PVP from 8.75 ± 0.52 mmHg to 10.71 ± 0.44 mmHg (P = 0.018), but corrected by fecal microbiota transplantation derived from rats on control diet
Van der Graaff et al. (2018) [26]Male Wistar rats, methionine-choline-deficient vs. control diet for 4 weeks (experiment 1, n = 12 vs. 12) validated in experiment 2
(n = 12 vs. 12)		Severe steatosis with mild lobular inflammation and absent fibrosisVasoconstriction less responsive to blunting by indomethacin in steatotic livers and transhepatic pressure gradient increased to 9.5 ± 0.5 mmHg from 2.3 ± 0.5 mmHg in controls (P < 0.001)