Effect of maple syrup extract on the liver of mice fed a high-fat diet

The effects of the administration of maple syrup extract (MSX) on hepatic gene expression were investigated in mice fed high-fat diet. Male C57BL/6J mice aged 3 weeks were purchased from Charles River Japan (Kanagawa, Japan) and housed in a room maintained at 23 ± 1°C and 49 ± 16% humidity with a 12-h light/dark cycle (light 08:00–20:00; dark 20:00–08:00). For 1 week acclimation period after purchase, all the mice were fed a low-fat diet (10 kcal% fat). Then, they were randomly divided into three different dietary groups: the first group with the food containing fat at 10 kcal% as low-fat diet, the second group with 45 kcal% as high-fat diet, and the third with HFD plus 0.06% MSX. The mice were fed ad libitum for 8 weeks.