Effects of a High-Fat Diet and a Plant Extract Composition on Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Rat Liver

The paper describes the effect of a plant extract composition on the metabolism of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the liver of rats fed a high-fat diet. High-fat diet for 4 weeks increased the content of sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and activation of collagen metabolism and suppression of hyaluronidase activity were detected after 7 weeks. These changes created favorable conditions for fibrogenesis stimulation. The balance between MMP9 and TIMP-1 activities was preserved, but neither severe nor moderate changes in liver ECM were noted at the structural level. Phytocomposition administered against the background of the high-fat diet alleviated pathological remodeling of ECM, which may represent a key mechanism of its action.