Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 13, 2026

Assessing Hepatic Metabolic Changes During Progressive Colonization of Germ-free Mouse by 1H NMR Spectroscopy
Published on: December 15, 2011
Effect of rapamycin on hepatic metabolomics of non-alcoholic fatty liver rats based on non-targeted platform
Baiyun Zhao1, Jing Zhang2, Kaiyue Zhao3
1Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, China; Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Rapamycin (Rapa) is an inhibitor of mTOR complex, and its therapeutic effect on liver function was examined in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats here. And the possible mechanism of Rapa in NAFLD was preliminarily elucidated based on the non-targeted metabolomics analysis. Adult male SD rats were fed with a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HFD) to establish NAFLD model. For Rapa group, 0.8 mg/(kg.d) Rapa was given to the HFD rats. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography and Q-Tof-mass spectrometry (UPLC and Q-TOF/MS) analysis were applied for the identification of metabolites in the serum of rats, which were annotated using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). NAFLD rats presented with disturbed liver function, lipid metabolism and oxidative stress, but Rapa exerted a mitigating influence on the disorders. The metabolite profile data identified 579 metabolites that varied remarkably between the Rapa and HFD groups, with the main classes of amino acids and peptides, benzene, lipids and fatty acids. The differential metabolites were mainly involved in biosynthesis of cofactors, bile secretion, and glycerophospholipid metabolism were mainly enriched. In conclusion, Rapa has a potential protective effect against HFD-induced NAFLD, its hepatoprotective effect may achieved through mediating bile secretion and glycerophospholipid metabolism.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Active Drug, Metabolite and Fraction of Metabolized Drug
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test

