Choline-deficient, high-fat diet-induced MASH in Göttingen Minipigs: characterization and effects of a chow reversal period

Abstract

The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is increasing, and translational animal models are needed to develop novel treatments for this disease. The physiology and metabolism of pigs have a relatively high resemblance to humans, and the present study aimed to characterise choline-deficient, and high-fat diet (CDAHFD) fed Göttingen Minipigs as a novel animal model of MASLD/MASH. Göttingen Minipigs were fed CDAHFD for up to 5 months, and the phenotype was investigated by analysis of plasma parameters and repeated collection of liver biopsies. Furthermore, changes in hepatic gene expression during the experiment were explored by RNA sequencing. For a subset of the minipigs, the diet was changed from CDAHFD back to chow to investigate if the liver pathology was reversible. Göttingen Minipigs on CDAHFD gained bodyweight, and plasma levels of cholesterol, AST, ALT, ALP and GGT were increased. CDAHFD-fed minipigs developed hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, which in 5 of 16 animals progressed to cirrhosis. During an 11-week chow reversal period, steatosis regressed while fibrosis persisted. Regarding inflammation, the findings were less clear, depending on the type of readout. MASH Human Proximity Scoring (combined evaluation of transcriptional, phenotypic and histopathological parameters) showed that CDAHFD-fed Göttingen Minipigs resemble human MASLD/MASH better than most rodent models. In conclusion, CDAHFD-fed minipigs develop a MASH-like phenotype which in several aspects resemble the changes observed in human patients with MASLD/MASH. Furthermore, repeated collection of liver biopsies allow detailed characterisation of histopathological changes over time in individual animals.