目的通过高脂饮食诱导的小鼠非酒精性脂肪性肝病(non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,NAFLD)模型研究虾青素对NAFLD的保护作用。方法将30只雄性C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为对照组、高脂组和干预组,每组10只。对照组饲喂低脂饲料,高脂组饲喂高脂饲料,干预组饲喂虾青素饲料(每kg高脂饲料添加2g虾青素)。16w后,称量各组小鼠体质量、肝质量并计算肝脏指数;测定小鼠肝功能、血脂及炎症因子水平;肝组织苏木素和伊红(hematoxylin and eosin,HE)染色观察组织形态学变化。结果高脂组小鼠肝脏指数与对照组相比显著降低(P<0.05),补充虾青素后与高脂组相比显著升高(P<0.05)。高脂组小鼠血清谷草转氨酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)、谷丙转氨酶(aspartate aminotransferase,AST)、甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)、总胆固醇(cholesterol,TC)、低密度脂蛋白(low-density lipoprotein,LDL)水平与对照组相比显著升高(P<0.05);干预组小鼠血清ALT、AST、TG、TC水平与高脂组相比显著降低(P<0.05),高密度脂蛋白(high-density lipoprotein,HDL)水平显著升高(P<0.05)。高脂组小鼠肝脏TG水平与对照组相比显著升高(P<0.05),补充虾青素后与高脂组相比显著降低(P<0.05),各组肝脏TC水平无明显差异。HE染色结果表明,高脂组肝组织可见大量脂肪变性,而干预组脂肪变性程度明显减轻。另外,高脂组小鼠血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)、白介素-6(interleukin-6,IL-6)及C反应蛋白(C-reactive protein,CRP)浓度与对照组相比显著升高(P<0.05),补充虾青素后分别降低了24.03%、18.45%、27.16%。结论虾青素可通过改善肝功能、血脂水平及抑制炎症因子释放等途径减缓高脂饮食诱导的NAFLD。 Objective To investigate the protective effect of astaxanthin on NAFLD in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high fat diet. Methods Thirty male C57BL / 6J mice were randomly divided into control group, hyperlipidemia group and intervention group, with 10 mice in each group. The control group was fed with low-fat diet, while the high-fat diet was fed with high-fat diet. The intervention group was fed astaxanthin diet (2g of astaxanthin per kg of high-fat diet). After 16 weeks, the body weight and liver mass of each group were weighed and the liver index was calculated. The levels of liver function, blood lipid and inflammatory cytokines in mice were measured. The changes of histomorphology were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) . Results Compared with the control group, the liver index of hyperlipidemic mice decreased significantly (P <0.05) and astaxanthin supplemented astaxanthin significantly increased (P <0.05). Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (P <0.05). The serum levels of ALT, AST, TG and TC in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the high-fat diet group (P <0.05), while those of the high-density lipoprotein (high-density lipoprotein, HDL) levels were significantly increased (P <0.05). Compared with control group, the level of TG in high fat diet group was significantly increased (P <0.05), and astaxanthin supplementation group was significantly lower than that in high fat diet group (P <0.05). The results of HE staining showed that a large amount of steatosis was observed in the liver of the high-fat group, while the degree of steatosis in the intervention group was significantly reduced. In addition, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (P <0.05), and decreased by 24.03%, 18.45% and 27.16%, respectively, after adding astaxanthin. Conclusion Astaxanthin can ameliorate NAFLD induced by high-fat diet by improving liver function, blood lipid level and inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines.