High-Salt Diet Leads to Liver Fibrosis

A high-salt diet can lead to liver fibrosis in both adults and developing embryos, according to a new study.

A high-salt diet has been associated with hypertension and other health conditions, but little research has been conducted to understand the effects of salt on both mature and developing livers.
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To conduct their study, researchers administered 4% salt water to a mouse model and exposed chick embryos to brine.

Liver cells were assessed using various staining methods, including Sirius red staining and Desmin immunofluorescent staining.

Results showed changes in the animals’ livers, including oddly shaped cells, increased cell death, and decreased cell production—which can lead to liver fibrosis.

In addition, researchers found that vitamin C treatment partially countered these effects.

“These experiments suggest that high salt intake would lead to high risk of liver damage and fibrosis in both adults and developing embryos,” researchers concluded. “The pathological mechanism may be the result from an imbalance between oxidative stress and the antioxidant system.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Wang G, Yeung CK, Wong WY, et al. Liver fibrosis can be induced by high salt intake through excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. J Agric Food Chem. 2016;64(7):1610–1617. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5b05897.