Early-Life High-Fat-Diet Exposure Induced Pre-Puberty Obesity-Related MASLD via Autophagy-Mediated Ferroptosis in Male C57BL/6J Mice.

OBJECTIVES

Exposure to high-fat diets in early life plays an important role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); however, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we explore the role of autophagy and ferroptosis in pre-puberty obesity-related MASLD caused by high-fat diets in early life.

METHODS

Twenty-four male C57BL/6J mice were fed over a 6-week period, and were divided into three groups: control, lactation HFD, and lactation + post-weaning HFD group. AML12 cells were treated with 0.5 mM free fatty acids (palmitic acid:oleic acid = 1:2) for 24 h to establish an in vitro model. Metabolism, autophagy, and ferroptosis-related indicators were detected.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the body weight, droplet deposition of the liver, Fe2+, and MDA level increased significantly in the lactation + post-weaning HFD group. Impaired autophagy, ferroptosis, and AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway protein expression were also found in the lactation + post-weaning HFD group. Additionally, BL-918 (activate autophagy) exposure in AML12 cells may recover FFA-induced ferroptosis and disorder of lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-life high-fat-diet exposure induced pre-puberty obesity-related MASLD, possibly via autophagy, which may be regulated by the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway and mediated by ferroptosis in male mice.