EFFECT OF ENTECAVIR AND ATORVASTATIN IN A DUCK MODEL OF HEPATITIS B COMBINED WITH NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE

Shian Zhang, Yidan Cai, Haicong Wu, Zhixian Wu, Dongliang Li^* 

Department of Hepatobiliary Medicine, The 900th Hospital of PLA, Fuzhou General Medical College Affiliated to Fujian Medical University

Introduction: To evaluate the effect of entecavir and atorvastatin in a duck model of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Materials and methods: A total of 75 Guangdong sheldrakes with congenital infection of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) were included. Among which, 15 ducks were fed with normal fodder (sham group). Other 60 ducks were fed with a high-fat and high-sucrose diet which consists of 83% duck fodder, 10% lard, 5% sugar, and 2% cholesterol for 3 weeks to build the duck model of NAFLD, then they were divided into 4 groups to receive different therapies, 1) entecavir and atorvastatin group (E&A group); 2) entecavir group (E group); 3) atorvastatin group (A group) and 4) control group. Each group had 15 ducks. The levels of liver function (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], glutamyl transpeptidase [GGT], and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]), lipid metabolism (triglyceride [TG], cholesterol [TC], high-density lipoprotein cholesterin [HDL-C], low-density lipoprotein cholesterin [LDL-C] and glucose [Glu]), and DHBV Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) in serum were determined at baseline, day 7, day 14 and day 21, respectively. Intrahepatic DHBV DNA levels were measured on day 21.

Results: It is shown that all parameters of liver function and lipid metabolism in ducks with NAFLD were significantly higher compared with those in the sham group, showing that the model was built successfully. Repeated regression analyses showed that all liver function and lipid metabolism parameters in the E&A group were significantly lower compared with those in the E group, A group, and control group. In addition, both serum and intrahepatic DHBV DNA levels were significantly lower in the E&A group compared with those in other groups.

Conclusion: Combination of entecavir and atorvastatin improves hepatic steatosis and increases antiviral responses in the duck model of HBV and NAFLD.