ABSTRACT Functional foods with antidiabetic and lipid‐lowering properties may serve as a nutritional strategy for metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH), especially when coexisting with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study evaluates whether the consumption of silicon‐enriched restructured meat (Si‐RM) could alleviate hepatic injury and metabolic disturbances in a late‐stage T2DM rat model. Early‐stage (ED, n = 8) and late‐stage (LD, n = 16) T2DM were induced following a high‐saturated‐fat diet or a high‐saturated‐fat, high‐cholesterol diet plus streptozotocin/nicotinamide injection, respectively, both diets containing a control meat. After confirming hyperglycemia, half of LD rats received Si‐RM for 5 weeks (LD‐Si, n = 8). Metabolic indices, liver histology, oxysterols, hepatic ChREBP/SREBP‐1c, proliferation/apoptosis balance, and antioxidant defenses were assessed. LD rats developed clear histopathological and biochemical MASH. Si‐RM consumption partially ameliorated these alterations, showing reduced lobular inflammation, improved serum oxysterol profile (decreased 25‐ and 27‐hydroxycholesterols, increased 7‐hydroxylated cholesterols), downregulated hepatic ChREBP, restored SREBP‐1c, rebalanced proliferation to apoptosis ratio, and enhanced antioxidant defenses. Si‐RM mitigated MASH severity and improved hepatic oxidative and metabolic status in a late‐stage T2DM. These findings support the therapeutic potential of Si‐RM as a promising and accessible nutritional adjuvant strategy against MASH.
Redondo‐Castillejo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.