Heterozygous p53 knockout affects development of obesity, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice fed with a Western type diet

The tumor suppressor p53 is a primary sensor of stressful stimuli. It controls several biologic processes and plays a central role in hepatocarcinogenesis. p53 deficient (p53 -/-) mice spontaneously develop intra- and extra-hepatic malignancies, and recently, it has been shown that they develop less hepatocellular damage and fibrosis upon feeding the NASH-inducing methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet. The aim of this study was to analyze the function of p53 in a model which more accurately simulates human NASH in the context of the metabolic syndrome. Methods and Results: p53 heterozygote knockout mice (…