Silicon‐Enriched Restructured Meat Mitigates Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatohepatitis in a Late‐Stage Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model

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