Cyclo(His-Pro): A further step in the management of steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now considered the most common liver disease in the world, yet no pharmacological treatment has been approved. The naturally occurring compound Cyclo (His-Pro) (CHP) appears as an interesting candidate for the management of NAFLD, given its safety records and its anti-inflammatory effect. We show here that CHP administration protects against progression towards steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis in two different mouse models of liver injury: a model of dietary NAFLD/NASH, achieved with thermoneutral housing in combination with a western diet, and a model of liver fibrosis by repeated injections with carbon tetrachloride. CHP administration prevents overall lipid accumulation, reducing body weight and fat mass. Treated animals show lower systemic inflammation and improved glycemia. Histo-pathology and liver transcriptomics highlight reduced steatosis upon CHP, together with lower inflammation and fibrosis, which are typical features of NAFLD progression. For the first time, we identified ERK as an early mediator of CHP response, although more work is required to elucidate its precise mechanism of action. In conclusion, our work indicates that CHP is a novel and efficacious strategy to manage NAFLD, fuelling optimism for potential clinical studies. A model of acute liver injury was then used. C57BL/6N mice received repeated low-dose (0.2ml/kg) CCl4 injections (CCL4:Olive oil = 1:19) over two weeks, together with daily CHP treatment (35mg/kg by oral gavage)